Foreign visitors take photos at the Furong Town scenic spot in Yongshun county, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province, Nov. 7, 2024. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)

Foreign tourists visiting China are increasingly venturing beyond major cities to discover the country's hidden gems, where they explore ancient buildings, marvel at the aurora borealis, or indulge in shopping sprees.

Data from online travel service provider Qunar shows that during the summer season, international visitors booked flights to 144 Chinese cities, 16 more than the same period last year. Most of the newly added destinations are lower-tier cities known for their natural beauty and pleasant climate, including Zhangye in Gansu Province, Anqing in Anhui Province, Enshi in Hubei Province, and Aksu in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

All 20 cities with the fastest growth in flight bookings by foreign tourists are third-tier cities or below. Travelers flock to Yiwu in Zhejiang Province—dubbed the "world's supermarket"—for shopping sprees, explore ancient buildings in Datong, Shanxi Province, and enjoy the aurora borealis in Mohe, Heilongjiang Province.

Global enthusiasm for "China Travel" has also fueled a shopping boom, with the practical tip to "bring an empty suitcase to China" gaining traction on overseas social media platforms.

Summer flight bookings to Yiwu by international tourists surged 2.6-fold year on year. In particular, flight bookings by Vietnamese and Indonesian travelers increased more than threefold compared with the same period last year.

According to Zhang Zhongyin, a researcher at Qunar's big data research institute, this trend is partly driven by China's 240-hour transit visa-free policy, which allows inbound tourists more time to explore destinations beyond major cities.

The growing number of airports in lower-tier cities has also made these areas more accessible for foreign tourists. As supporting facilities improve—such as multilingual services at tourist attractions—China is increasingly becoming a destination where international visitors always find something new.

The institute's analysis further shows that tourists from distant countries such as the United States, Russia, Canada, and Australia face flight times of more than eight hours to reach China. Given the long journey, they prefer extended stays and multiple destinations. Taking high-speed trains to explore lower-tier cities beyond metropolises like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou has become a popular choice for many inbound travelers.