It was expected to reach 146.9 billion yuan in 2023, with a year-on-year growth of 61.6 percent, and hit 242.2 billion yuan by 2026, the report says.

The iiMedia report reveals that primary and middle school and college students are the main consumers.

Most seek to broaden their vision and experience diverse cultures through those tours, and generally prefer short-term trips in China or in neighboring countries and regions. Educational tours ranging from 1,000 to 6,000 yuan are preferred, the report shows.

It predicts that homogenized educational travel services will face increasing difficulties in meeting consumer demand and that outstanding players from various fields, such as technology, manufacturing, energy and the internet, will enter this vast market, contributing to diversification.

"The rise of study tours reflects parents' concerns about their children and changes in family consumption patterns," says Ma Lei, a senior officer with the tourism service provider, Joyu (Lvmama) Group.

Parents hope that the journey is not just about relaxing and enjoying scenery but also about what their children can learn and gain during the trip, he explains.

"Interpersonal relationships are more important in educational tours. After seeing landscapes and historical relics, children can truly benefit from further explanations, interactions and experiences," Ma says.