The Qingming Festival officially commences tomorrow. Do you have any plans for an outdoor excursion? Traditionally, every holiday period witnesses a surge in travel and homeward journeys, leading to a spike in travel demand. Short, three-day holidays like Qingming have also fueled the intercity hitchhiking market. Some market research institutions even forecast that by 2025, hitchhiking could become the next 100 billion-dollar market.

So, is it truly feasible for hitchhiking, which has diverged from the online ride-hailing market, to attain this 100 billion-dollar milestone?

Absolutely.

Image Source: Hello

In the "2023 China Hitchhiking Industry Development Research Report" released at the end of 2023, iResearch Consulting predicted that "the annual growth rate of the hitchhiking market will remain at 25%-30% from 2024 to 2025." This increase might seem modest, but when applied to an average order price of 25 yuan (iResearch Consulting data) and 3 billion orders annually (data from the Ministry of Transport and online ride-hailing platforms), it becomes evident that hitchhiking is on a trajectory similar to online ride-hailing, aiming for the 100 billion-dollar market.

According to Frost & Sullivan's research report, as of the end of 2023, Hello, Dida, and Didi held a market share ratio of approximately 5:3:2 in terms of hitchhiking rides. In 2024, fueled by the recovery in ride-sharing demand and advancements in policy norms, the hitchhiking industry embarked on a new growth cycle, significantly enhancing market vitality.

Image Source: Hello

Furthermore, compared to online ride-hailing, hitchhiking holds greater potential for market penetration. Frost & Sullivan's data projects a market penetration rate of 0.36% for hitchhiking in 2024 (calculated by travel distance). Driven by user demand, consumption concepts, and industry policies, hitchhiking is well-positioned to become the next travel trend, and a 100 billion-dollar market is within reach.

However, to cross the 100 billion-dollar threshold, the hitchhiking industry must seize every opportunity for growth and differentiate itself from online ride-hailing.

Firstly, the tier-2 and tier-3 markets offer the best growth prospects for hitchhiking: These markets boast a high number of private cars, scattered commuting needs, and inadequate public transportation, naturally aligning with the "P2P" (peer-to-peer) travel mode of hitchhiking. By continuously optimizing order allocation and reservation logic, the development potential for hitchhiking in these markets is substantial.

Image Source: Hello

Secondly, low-frequency long-distance holiday travel represents another growth area for hitchhiking. Unlike online ride-hailing, which focuses on multiple short-distance trips within cities, hitchhiking is naturally suited for low-frequency long-distance intercity travel during holidays. Even compared to public transportation like high-speed trains and buses, hitchhiking's advantages, such as point-to-point travel and shared fuel costs, benefit both drivers and passengers.

Moreover, the characteristics of this low-frequency, long-distance travel mode align perfectly with holiday travel patterns (non-standard routes between tier-3 and tier-4 cities, highly similar homeward needs). With further policy relaxations, hitchhiking can unleash its full potential.

Taking Hello Hitchhiking as an example, based on calculations from third-party survey data, during the 2025 Spring Festival, the entire hitchhiking industry experienced approximately 120 million orders, with Hello Hitchhiking accounting for over 60 million orders alone. Addressing common quality service issues in the online ride-hailing and hitchhiking industries, Hello Hitchhiking has significantly increased its brand investment.

Industry insiders revealed that, fueled by positive market expectations, Hello Hitchhiking has internally launched the "Growth Project," investing in marketing and brand promotion for the first time to enhance brand awareness and service quality, thereby improving the travel experience for drivers and passengers.

As an office worker tired of the rush to buy high-speed rail tickets during holidays, standardized, convenient, and cost-effective hitchhiking travel is indeed the ideal holiday travel plan. It is certain that during the upcoming Qingming Festival, the demand for hitchhiking will surge, and Hello Hitchhiking will usher in a new travel trend.