(Yicai Global) June 5 -- China's travel agencies are set to battle it out with family-themed tours this summer, rather than looking to cut back on prices, insiders told Yicai Global.

Travel providers will launch new products aimed at connecting families, such as parent-child trips, and look to bring in more customers by linking tours to health-based festivals. The move comes as agencies look to present a softer, more affectionate feeling to their packages and young adults look to pamper their parents with short holidays.

Parent-child tours are becoming more popular among travel agencies, who have noticed customers are willing to spend more on their holidays when they take children along.

Short-distance trips to scenic spots are the preferred choice for travelers looking to go away with their mothers, said Wang Xiaosong, chief executive of Shanghai Lvmama Xinglv International Travel Agency Co. Buyers of its Lvyue Family Tour package have also included travelers of three generations holidaying together, with grandparents also brought along for the trip.

Old town, landscape and 'blessing' tours remain popular, while trips to regions with clear air and fruit-picking tours are also prevalent. May, June and November are the peak months for trips with parents, data from Tuniu shows. Top domestic destinations are Sanya, Beijing and Guilin.

Last year, children under 12 made up almost 10 percent of all tourists with SkySea Cruises, according to data from Ctrip.Com International Ltd. [NASDAQ:CTRP], with the number skyrocketing during summer months when parent-child trips become more popular. Customers opting for family packages also jumped 40 percent last year, with people aged between 28 and 35 making up more than 50 percent of all adult tourists on parent-child tours.

Tuniu data lists China's top tourist attractions as Shanghai Disneyland, Chimelong Safari Park in Guangzhou and China Dinosaurs Park in Changzhou.