Tourists walk through the ancient city of Tianshui, Gansu province, May 1. WANG ZIXUAN/XINHUA
Domestic travelers are increasingly favoring niche destinations and experiences, highlighting the huge tourism potential of many of the country's lesser-known travel destinations.
From last year's barbecue craze in Zibo, Shandong province, to this year's craze for malatan, the spicy meat and vegetable stew served in Tianshui, Gansu province, travelers are It sends a clear signal that major changes are coming to the tourism market. in progress.
Both prefecture-level cities attracted millions of tourists who waited in line for hours to sample these local specialties.
Social media is increasingly emphasizing the uniqueness of travel products as a way for people to showcase their individuality and lifestyle choices.
Wen Yuxiang, a native of Chengdu, Sichuan province, has found a passion for visiting small, off-the-beaten-path cities and prefecture-level destinations since 2021, when the country was hit by the coronavirus pandemic. Mr. Wen, who is in his 30s, said, “I wasn't interested in popular tourist destinations in downtown areas, and I wasn't able to travel long distances.''
It was then that he began exploring the prefecture on the edge of Chengdu.
“Travel information for these small destinations was mostly fragmented, so I pieced together the details and came up with my own itinerary,” he said.
He soon realized that there were many options available to satisfy his wanderlust in relative peace and quiet.
“I have been struck by the many historic buildings and breathtaking natural landscapes in these small cities and counties,” he said.
Although sometimes he encounters discrepancies between online destination information and the actual destination, most of the time his trips did not disappoint. He visited lesser-known destinations in many provinces including Sichuan, Gansu, Guizhou, Shanxi, and Guangdong.
“Although it is small, we have all the necessary facilities such as transportation, accommodation and meals,” he said. “The most important thing is that these places have kept the identity of local people and communities alive. To me, this is more attractive than crowded big cities,” Wen said.
Sharing his travel experiences on the social media platform Xiaohonshu, his number of followers has increased from less than 200 in 2022 to more than 72,000 today.
“My fans come from different parts of the country and most of them give me very positive feedback and even call me their guide to their cherished vacation,” he said.
Wen is proud that many of his followers share photos of their trips to destinations he recommends and often say they felt the same way about their experiences.
