Lesser-known towns making tourism gains

Driven by a growing appetite for slower, experience-led holidays, Chinese travelers are shunning crowded big city attractions in favor of quiet, county-level destinations, breathing new life into local economies across the country.

From exploring rural markets and picking tea to learning regional crafts and culinary traditions, travelers are spending more time experiencing everyday local life instead of racing through a checklist of attractions.

Data from online travel platform Qunar shows hotel and homestay bookings spanned more than 1,000 county destinations during this year's summer peak, with three-day or longer stays rising 20 percent year-on-year. While established hot spots like Yunnan's Dali and Guangxi Zhuang's Yangshuo remain popular, lesser-known locations saw the steepest spikes. Bookings more than doubled in Xingyi, Guizhou, and tripled in Zayul county, Xizang.

“Tourists are shifting from conventional sightseeing toward immersive trips that allow them to experience local culture and lifestyles,” said Wu Liyun, a professor at the China Academy of Culture and Tourism at Beijing International Studies University.

Unlike the increasingly standardized offerings at many popular attractions, counties can draw on distinctive ecosystems, unique folk traditions, intangible cultural heritage and authentic living environments to offer more personal travel experiences, Mr. Wu said.

Emerging destinations such as Zhenfeng (Guizhou), Tiane (Guangxi) and Wuqiao (Hebei) recorded booking gains exceeding 150 percent this summer, according to Qunar.

The figures suggest demand is spreading beyond established county-level hot spots to places that previously struggled to attract visitors beyond nearby markets.

Spending is climbing in tandem with foot traffic. Non-local visitor spending rose 14.1 percent year-on-year in the first half of the year, according to data from online services platform Meituan. Out-of-town consumers spent roughly 58 yuan ($8.05) per transaction -- about 50 percent more than local residents.

“County areas offer extensive natural and ecological resources and deep cultural heritage, providing fertile ground for new tourism products and settings,” said Chu Zhaobin, deputy director of the Institute of Urban and Rural Economics at the Anhui Academy of Social Sciences, in an interview with Xinhua News Agency.

Those resources increasingly match demand for more personalized, high-quality and experience-led travel, Mr. Chu said.

The trend also reflects changing priorities among urban vacationers, who increasingly see counties as destinations in their own right rather than merely cheaper alternatives to major cities.

Source: China Daily