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.

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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.

"The structure of tourism consumption is evolving. Traditional ticket sales for scenic spots are declining, as tourists now view these locations as starting points rather than destinations. Instead, they spend more on dining, accommodations and leisure activities around these areas. This shift reflects a broader trend where tourists seek holistic experiences rather than isolated attractions," he adds.

Additionally, there's a growing fusion between local life and tourism. Tourists are increasingly drawn to authentic, everyday experiences, such as visiting local markets or trying regional cuisines, Liu says.

This trend highlights a desire for both familiarity and novelty — tourists want to feel connected to the local culture while still experiencing something unique, he explains.

Liu also points out that online reviews, rankings and social media have played a significant role in shaping consumer decisions. Tourists now rely heavily on digital platforms to plan their trips.

"Looking ahead, digitalization will continue to play a pivotal role in shaping tourism consumption. By 2025, we expect further integration of digital tools, enabling more personalized and efficient travel experiences. The focus will be on creating seamless, end-to-end solutions that cater to the evolving needs of modern tourists," Liu says.

Song Rui, director of the Tourism Research Center, CASS, and a lead author of the green book, highlights that urban destinations remained a vital market for tourism experiences and consumption in 2024.

Key trends driving urban tourism include destination branding through short-video platforms, private customized tours emphasizing deep and unique explorations, reverse tourism (travelers choosing lesser-known or nontraditional destinations over popular, overcrowded tourist cities) and alternative tourism (the practice of seeking budget-friendly substitutes for expensive or overhyped destinations), Song reveals. "Short-video platforms have played a pivotal role in driving traffic and fostering engagement for destination branding."

For instance, Tianshui in Northwest China's Gansu province gained widespread attention after a viral video featuring its malatang, or spicy hotpot, in 2024. By leveraging the buzz, Tianshui emerged as one of the top 10 dark-horse tourist destinations in China last year.

Similarly, in October 2024, hairstylist nicknamed Xiaohua from Huaihua, Central China's Hunan province, became an overnight sensation with a viral haircut video, garnering millions of likes.

Huaihua quickly capitalized on the trend by offering discounts at over 30 tourist attractions, homestays, restaurants and entertainment venues for visitors who showed proof of travel or a photo at Xiaohua's salon. Within just seven days, this initiative produced over 20 million yuan ($2.8 million) in on-site consumption and 120 million yuan in overall city spending, Song observes.

Personalized travel experiences, such as self-driving tours and solo travel, have become new trends in urban tourism. According to the green book, self-driving trips exceeded 4.6 billion in 2024. Solo travel, which emphasizes personal choice and freedom, saw a 25-percent increase in bookings on online platforms like Trip.com Group.

The rise of reverse tourism and alternative tourism reflects a shift in consumer preferences, the green book concludes.

Data from multiple online travel agencies shows that during the 2024 May Day holiday, third- and fourth-tier cities like Yangzhou of Jiangsu province and Luoyang of Henan province saw an average 11-percent increase year-on-year in tourism bookings, surpassing growth rates in first- and second-tier cities.

According to travel platform Mafengwo, searches and views for alternative tourism rose by 33.7 percent year-on-year, with Generation Z (born between the mid-1990s and 2009) and millennials accounting for nearly 60 percent of this trend.

The popularity of reverse tourism and alternative tourism underscores a broader change in travel consumption attitudes — moving away from blindly following trends to prioritizing value for money and fulfilling personal needs. This shift presents significant market opportunities for nontraditional destinations and emerging tourist cities, Song says.

Wu Jinmei, deputy director of the CASS research center and a contributor to the green book, emphasizes the importance of creating immersive and engaging consumption scenarios, such as intangible cultural heritage elements, to boost cultural tourism demand.

She observes that the 2024 Spring Festival lantern fair in Beijing generated considerable public interest, providing a unique lens for understanding the creative transformation and sustainable development of intangible cultural heritage.

"The success of the lantern festival stemmed from combining traditional craftsmanship with modern design elements, creating immersive and interactive experiences that resonated with urban consumers," she says.

She notes that over 200 types of lantern installations were crafted, blending elements of historical and contemporary aesthetics.

During the festival, one-on-one exchanges and live demonstrations allowed artisans to engage with the public, fostering deeper appreciation and understanding, she adds.

As many five-star hotels, themed restaurants and high-end service providers participated in the festival, visitor experiences were enhanced, transforming the festival into a multidimensional cultural consumption platform that went beyond traditional tourism experiences, Wu says.

Apart from the positive domestic tourism development, the country's visa-free policies for an increasing number of countries since 2023 have fueled a surge in inbound tourism, according to the green book.

The National Bureau of Statistics reported foreign arrivals reached 26.94 million in 2024, with 20.12 million entering via visa-free policies, a 112.3-percent rise.

Experts at the launch ceremony of the green book on March 14 concurred that China's tourism sector is set to solidify its position as a global leader, driven by favorable policy, digital transformation and consumer-focused trends.

This will ensure long-term sustainable growth and deliver world-class travel experiences for both domestic and international visitors, the green book shows.

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Wang Xuefeng, associate professor with Beijing Jiaotong University, says that the final year of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) is also a year of strategic planning.

The goal is to accelerate the construction of a world-class tourism power while emphasizing a comprehensive, high-quality approach beyond economic gains, he says.

Wang underscores the importance of aligning tourism development with China's modernization goals and the evolving consumer demand for better experiences in the "happiness industry".

Contact the writer at yangfeiyue@chinadaily.com.cn