Chinese tourists redefine bucket list

In addition to routine sightseeing, travelers are looking for more diverse and immersive experiences, Yang Feiyue reports.

For decades, China's tourism industry was driven by a race for iconic landmarks, mass tour groups and the pursuit of "checklist travel". But the rising disposable income and increasingly rich offers from tour suppliers have reshaped the way people explore the country, according to the recently published Green Book of China's Tourism compiled by the Tourism Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

"Tourism consumption is no longer limited to traditional activities like sightseeing or hotel stays. Consumers now engage in a wide range of experiences, including dining, entertainment, shopping and even fitness or gaming," says Liu Yanping, a researcher with the research institute under the country's major on-demand service platform Meituan and a contributor to the green book.

Meituan data shows that between 2019 and 2024, there was a significant shift from traditional tourism activities like sightseeing to more diverse and immersive experiences, Liu notes.