China tourist attractions & breathtaking sceneries

[ahojunk]

China sees record high outbound cruise passengers in 2016
2017-01-19 13:10 | Xinhua | Editor: Gu Liping

The number of outbound cruise passengers in China topped 2 million for the first time in 2016, according to a report by China Cruise & Yacht Industry Association (CCYIA) Thursday.

A total of 2.12 million Chinese holiday-makers departed from China's 10 major port cities, including Tianjin, Dalian, Yantai, Shanghai, Guanghzou and Haikou, to travel overseas last year, up 91 percent year on year.

In the meantime, the number of overseas cruise tourists visiting the 10 Chinese ports rose 8 percent to 138,715 in 2016.

Shanghai, Tianjin and Guanghzou were the top three ports to welcome passengers last year, taking up 65 percent, 16.3 percent and 7.2 percent of total inbound and outbound travelers respectively, according to the report.

China has become the world's eighth biggest cruise market, with domestic tourists planning more diverse travel experiences in recent years.

"Amid the burgeoning cruise industry, issues such as poor service should also be highlighted," said Zheng Weihang, executive vice chairman and secretary general of CCYIA. "China will make more efforts in enhancing the manufacturing of cruise liners and improving the capacity and efficiency of its ports."

 

[ahojunk]

Chinese abroad to surpass 6 mln during Spring Festival
2017-01-25 08:56

Air quality, natural environment crucial factors for tourists: CTA

The number of Chinese who will travel abroad during the upcoming Spring Festival holidays is expected to exceed 6 million, with the U.S., Australia and Thailand among the most popular destinations, according to the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA).

"Some 6 million Chinese will travel abroad during the weeklong holidays from January 27 to February 2, which will become a global Golden Week," said a statement on the CNTA website on Monday.

Chinese tourists going abroad will increase 49 percent year-on-year during the weeklong holidays, a record high for the annual festival, online travel agency lümama.com noted in a report sent to the Global Times on Tuesday.

International-bound tourists will account for a small proportion of the nation's overall tourists, as there is expected to be 343 million people traveling within the country, according to CNTA.

Preferences abroad

Medium- and short-distance destinations such as Australia, New Zealand and Thailand posted more online travel bookings and even farther destinations including the U.S., the UK and Spain also saw more orders, the bureau said.

As for travel packages, cruise, island and ice and snow tours are popular, said the CNTA statement. Phuket in Thailand, Bali in Indonesia and Jeju in South Korea were some of the noted hot tourist spots.

"Cruises are a new traveling mode, with excellent cost performance, attracting family outings," Zhang Lingyun, director of the Tourism Development Academy at Beijing Union University, told the Global Times Tuesday.

The number of bookings on lümama.com for cruises during the upcoming holidays is nearly three times that of the same period last year, according to data from the agency on January 12.

A Beijing white-collar worker surnamed Liu said he will visit Phuket for the upcoming holidays. "Our family plan to spend seven days there, not only because of excellent cost performance, but also for its warm weather and clean air," he told the Global Times Tuesday.

Given domestic pollution, air quality and natural environment have become crucial factors when choosing tourist resorts, the China Tourism Academy (CTA) said on Monday.

"Especially during winter when air pollution is serious in parts of the country, citizens are more willing to escape smog… A considerable proportion of travelers even go to foreign islands to run away from the cold climate and smog," according to a statement on the institution's website.

Despite the peak in tourists during the Spring Festival, travelling fees are roughly the same as last year, thanks to an increase in the number of flights, advanced purchase of travel packages and travel agency discounts, according to a report that the online travel services provider Ctrip sent to the Global Times in December.

While the cost of traveling to Thailand, the U.S. and the Philippines is 5 to 15 percent higher than last year, it's cheaper to travel to South Korea, Singapore and Italy, where costs are down 10-30 percent from the previous year, said the Ctrip report.

Many domestic airlines increased flights to cope with the rising need during the Spring Festival.

For example, China Southern Airlines proposed to increase more than 700 international flights along popular routes including lines from South China to Southeast Asian countries and from Northeast China to Japan and South Korea.

Travel surge

About 122 million Chinese travelled abroad in 2016, nearly the overall population of Japan, ranking No.1 in the world, according to a report released by CTA and Ctrip on Friday.

Chinese travelers spent $109.8 billion overseas in 2016, representing 16 percent of the country's total tourist expenditure, said the report.

Easier visa applications was a factor pushing Chinese people travel abroad. "After the U.S., Canada and Singapore granted 10-year visas to Chinese passport holders, Israel and Australia followed suit. In addition, Thailand reduced its visa fees for Chinese visitors in December, January and February," a travel agent surnamed Chen at lümama.com said in December.

There is a shift in mainland tourists' reasons for traveling overseas, according to a separate CTA report in September 2016. "In the past, they mainly wanted to sightsee and shop, but now more and more people want to experience local life," the report said.

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[ahojunk]

122 million Chinese tourists make outbound trips in 2016, spend $109.8 billion
By Sun Wenyu (People's Daily Online) 13:45, January 26, 2017

The number of China's outbound tourists reached 122 million in 2016, according to a report jointly issued by travel services provider Ctrip and China Tourism Academy (CTA). The report states that Chinese travelers spent $109.8 billion in 2016 in overseas destinations.

Thanks to the increased spending power of Chinese people, upgrades to tourism and favorable visa policies, a total of 122 million outbound trips were made from China in the last year, increasing 4.3 percent from 2015. China has become the most popular destination for tourists from Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Russia, the Maldives and the U.K. However, China's outbound tourists are still less than 10 percent of the country's total population, which suggests huge potential for the future.

Total consumption by Chinese travelers overseas reached $109.8 billion last year, accounting for 16 percent of the country's total tourism consumption. Statistics from Ctrip show that Thailand, Japan, South Korea, the U.S., the Maldives, Indonesia, Singapore, Australia, Italy and Malaysia were the top 10 destinations where Chinese tourists spent the most money.

Compared with men, female travelers are more likely to choose overseas destinations, with the latter making up 56 percent of all China's outbound tourists. People born during the 1970s and 1980s made up nearly half of outbound tourists, but data shows that more and more younger people as well as the elderly have expressed interest in overseas travel.
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[ahojunk]

China witnesses surge in tourist numbers
2017-01-29 09:39 Xinhua Editor: Huang Mingrui

China witnessed a surge in tourist numbers on Friday, the first day of the week-long Lunar New Year holiday, official data showed on Saturday.

The number of tourists jumped 10.4 percent year on year to 50.5 million. Tourist-generated income climbed to 59 billion yuan (around 8.67 billion U.S. dollars), up 13.3 percent from one year earlier, according to data from the China National Tourism Administration.

In Beijing alone, 294,000 tourists visited the city's 160 key scenic spots on Friday.

China's northwestern Gansu Province received 860,500 travellers, up 22.1 percent year on year. The province reaped tourist revenues of 520 million yuan, up 25.9 percent year on year.

In terms of outbound tourism, Phuket and Bangkok of Thailand, Nha Trang of Vietnam, Bali of Indonesia, and Singapore were among most popular destinations.

It is estimated that over six million Chinese people will travel abroad during the holiday.
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[ahojunk]

Geyuan park in Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province
(Xinhua) 10:03, February 01, 2017

Tourists at Geyuan park in Yangzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, Jan. 31, 2017. (Xinhua/Liu Jiangrui)

A parking lot at Geyuan park in Yangzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, Jan. 31, 2017. (Xinhua/Liu Jiangrui)

Tourists at the Geyuan park in Yangzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, Jan. 31, 2017. (Xinhua/Liu Jiangrui)

Tourists at the Geyuan park in Yangzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, Jan. 31, 2017. (Xinhua/Liu Jiangrui)

 

[ahojunk]

Fields in SW China's Guizhou
(Xinhua) 13:28, February 02, 2017

(Photo source: Xinhuanet)

(Photo source: Xinhuanet)

 

[ahojunk]

Village on edge of cliff draws visitors
2017-02-07 15:59 Ecns.cn Editor:Yao Lan

A view of Qiyunshan Village, which is located close to mountain cliffs, 585 meters above sea level, in Xiuning County, East China’s Anhui Province, Feb. 6, 2017. The mountain attracts many visitors with its Hui-style architecture, which is in contrast to Taoism buildings, as well as for the harmony displayed between Taoists and local residents. (Photo/Xinhua)

Qiyunshan Village, Xiuning County, Anhui Province, Feb. 6, 2017. (Photo/Xinhua)

Tourists at Qiyunshan Village, Xiuning County, Anhui Province, Feb. 6, 2017. (Photo/Xinhua)

A view of Qiyunshan Village, which is located close to mountain cliffs, 585 meters above sea level, in Xiuning County, East China’s Anhui Province, Feb. 6, 2017. The mountain attracts many visitors with its Hui-style architecture, which is in contrast to Taoism buildings, as well as for the harmony displayed between Taoists and local residents. (Photo/Xinhua)

Tourists at Qiyunshan Village, Xiuning County, Anhui Province, Feb. 6, 2017. (Photo/Xinhua)

Tourists at Qiyunshan Village, Xiuning County, Anhui Province, Feb. 6, 2017. (Photo/Xinhua)

Tourists at Qiyunshan Village, which is located close to mountain cliffs, 585 meters above sea level, in Xiuning County, East China’s Anhui Province, Feb. 6, 2017. The mountain attracts many visitors with its Hui-style architecture, which is in contrast to Taoism buildings, as well as for the harmony displayed between Taoists and local residents.(Photo/Xinhua)

 

[ahojunk]

Qianmen Street in Beijing
2017-02-06 13:30 | Xinhua | Editor: Xu Shanshan

A landmark commercial street in Beijing.

Tourists visit the Qianmen Street, a landmark commercial street, in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 5, 2017. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

In front of an old-brand restaurant at the Qianmen Street, a landmark commercial street, in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 5, 2017. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

Tourists visit Qianmen Street, a landmark commercial street, in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 5, 2017. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

A bronze sculpture is seen at the door of an old-brand store at the Qianmen Street, a landmark commercial street, in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 5, 2017. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

Tourists visit Qianmen Street, a landmark commercial street, in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 5, 2017. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

Tourists visit Qianmen Street, a landmark commercial street, in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 5, 2017. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

Tourists visit Qianmen Street, a landmark commercial street, in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 5, 2017. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

Tourists visit Qianmen Street, a landmark commercial street, in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 5, 2017. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

 

[ahojunk]

Heshun ancient town in Yunnan Province
(Xinhua) 15:39, February 17, 2017

Heshun town has a history of 600 years.

Photo taken on Feb. 16, 2017 shows Heshun Library, which was established in 1928 and has more than 80,000 books, in Heshun ancient town, Tengchong, southwest China's Yunnan Province. Heshun town has a history of 600 years. (Xinhua/Li Yan)

Tourists visit Heshun ancient town, Tengchong, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 16, 2017. Heshun town has a history of 600 years. (Xinhua/Li Yan)

Tourists take photos in front of a pavilion in Heshun ancient town, Tengchong, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 15, 2017. Heshun town has a history of 600 years. (Xinhua/Li Yan)

Photo taken with a slow shutter speed on Feb. 16, 2017 shows the scene of a car driving past a street in Heshun ancient town, Tengchong, southwest China's Yunnan Province. Heshun town has a history of 600 years. (Xinhua/Li Yan)

Villagers get some rest at a pavilion in Heshun ancient town, Tengchong, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 16, 2017. Heshun town has a history of 600 years. (Xinhua/Li Yan)

A plane flies in the sky over the Heshun ancient town, Tengchong, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 16, 2017. Heshun town has a history of 600 years. (Xinhua/Li Yan)

A tourist walks past the Heshun Library, which was established in 1928 and has more than 80,000 books, in Heshun ancient town, Tengchong, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Feb. 15, 2017. Heshun town has a history of 600 years. (Xinhua/Li Yan)

 

[ahojunk]

Giant patterns in rapeseed field attract tourists
2017-02-28 15:20 | Ecns.cn | Editor:Yao Lan

Giant patterns depicting panda, Olympic rings, Cupid's arrow and cattle farming scenes have been created in a canola field in Ranyi Town, Qionglai City, Sichuan Province.

Designs created in a rapeseed field in Ranyi Town, Qionglai City, Southwest China’s Sichuan Province, Feb. 27, 2017. (Photo: China News Service/Liu Zhongjun)

Look at the cars and tourists on the road next to the fields.

Close up view of the tourists.

 

[ahojunk]

Spiral sightseeing platform in Changsha
Xinhua, March 28, 2017

Photo taken on March 27, 2017 shows the overview of the spiral sightseeing platform at the Meixi Lake in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province. Made from 7,000 tonnes of steel, the spiral sightseeing platform is 35 meters high with a diameter of 86 meters. The construction of this sightseeing platform is almost completed and will open to the public after acceptance check. (Xinhua/Long Hongtao)

Photo taken on March 27, 2017 shows the overview of the spiral sightseeing platform at the Meixi Lake in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province. Made from 7,000 tonnes of steel, the spiral sightseeing platform is 35 meters high with a diameter of 86 meters. The construction of this sightseeing platform is almost completed and will open to the public after acceptance check. (Xinhua/Long Hongtao)

 

[ahojunk]

Lijiang discourages businesses irrelevant to traditional culture
2017-04-18 16:34 | Ecns.cn | Editor: Mo Hong'e

Traditional residential buildings in Lijiang, Yunnan Province. (File photo/Chinanews.com)​

(ECNS) -- The old town of Lijiang, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Southwest China's Yunnan Province, has banned open-flame BBQs, singing and dancing halls, as well as Internet bars amid new efforts to protect its cultural identity.

Authorities introduced a list of business activities allowed in the old town, discouraging bars, restaurants, jewelry or cosmetics.

It plans to support projects relevant to its history and the Dongba culture of the Naxi ethnic group including traditional papermaking, costumes and other crafts.

The old town is a hot tourist attraction in China, but visitors also complain about problems such as forced purchasing and unlicensed businesses.

Early this year, National Tourism Administration warned the town to improve tourism management within six months otherwise its 5A status would be downgraded. Local authorities have since launched a campaign to better protect the over 800-year-old site.

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[ahojunk]

Terraces shrouded by clouds in Guangxi
2017-04-19 16:19 | Xinhua | Editor:Li Yan

Photography amateurs take photos of terraces shrouded by clouds in Longsheng, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, April 18, 2017. (Xinhua/Huang Yongdan)

Photo taken on April 18, 2017 shows terraces shrouded by clouds in Longsheng, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Huang Yongdan)

Photo taken on April 18, 2017 shows terraces shrouded by clouds in Longsheng, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Huang Yongdan)

Photo taken on April 18, 2017 shows terraces shrouded by clouds in Longsheng, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Huang Yongdan)

*******

Such a beautiful sight!
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[AndrewJin]

Qujing City
Yunnan Province, Southwest China

 

[cirr]

Heaven on Earth: Suzhou, China

Ancient Suzhou is a great getaway from the hustle and bustle of modern Shanghai.

Cherry blossoms in Suzhou (Photo: Daniel Goh)

23 Apr 2017 01:49PM

SUZHOU: Whether you are based in Shanghai or on yet another routine business meeting to this Chinese city, you might want to break the monotony of your schedule with a quick side trip to the charming city of Suzhou. At just about 30 minutes away from Shanghai by high-speed rail (or a more leisurely 90-minute drive), Suzhou is almost part of Shanghai’s suburbs.

Woven amid its own cluster of skyscrapers and industrial parks, historical Suzhou retains some of its softer charms – winding canals and classical gardens abound in this ancient city long-admired for its Ming dynasty era architecture.

In this city, there are four enormous lakes and a canal system that dates back 2,500 years so you are never far from an Instagram-worthy body of water. The air feels damp and beneficial to the skin, with its misty spring rains and mild winters. The plentiful water ensures that that the pleasant scenery, so good for cycling through on one of the ubiquitous green bicycles thoughtfully provided by the Suzhou government, is full of jade-green parcels of land, tree-lined avenues and parks full of cherry and plum trees, azaleas, camellias and blazing rapeseed. The fertile Yangtze River Delta soil and Suzhou’s recent development into a major joint-venture hub for high-tech manufacturing and commerce mean that its people are relatively affluent and able to enjoy the city’s many delights along with the tourists and expatriates.

MUST SEE

A top landmark is Tiger Hill, an intimate little hill intricately woven with winding pathways and pagodas, with all trails leading to China’s very own “Leaning Tower” – the Yunyan Temple. Built in the year 961 and leaning at three degrees because of its faulty foundation, it is a must-see for history buff and a pleasant afternoon stroll outdoors. (585 Huqiu Hill, near Shantang Street; 7.30 am to 5.30 pm)

Humble Administrator’s Garden (Photo: Tricia Sim)

Among Suzhou’s many heritage gardens, the most popular is the Humble Administrator’s Garden (178 Dongbei Jie, near Qimen Lu; open from 7.30 am to 5.30 pm). It is hardly humble, seeing how it measures at nearly 52,000 sqm. The garden, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was originally built in the Ming Dynasty for a former government official and poet Wang Xianchen, the eponymous administrator. The central feature is a shimmering lotus pond, around which radiates zigzagging covered walkways, pavilions, bonsai gardens, moon gates and planted densely with wisteria, pine, weeping willow and entirely steeped in an elegiac and meditative mood.

The Garden of the Master of the Nets (Photo: China Culture Tour website)

On an entirely different but more intimate scale is The Garden of the Master of the Nets (11 Kuo Jia Tou Xiang), which is less a garden than it is a period piece house from the year 1140. It’s an intriguing look at a refined and elegant way of life – yes, there’s a dainty scholar’s garden designed to be walked in at a genteel pace along some of the prettiest mosaic paths.

Suzhou Museum (Photo: Another Believer)

Just before you zip off towards the new, a good middle path between the old and the new Suzhou is Suzhou Museum (204 Dongbei Jie) designed by I M Pei (of the Louvre Pyramid fame. Pei’s family was native to Suzhou, and he returned to Suzhou in his 2002 to build a museum that married his modernist sensibility with the local vernacular. Inside, there is a treasure trove of antiques, paintings, ceramics, crafts, relics, books and over 20,000 rubbings of stone inscriptions. The superb collection includes works of masters from Song, Ming and Qing dynasties.

If the weight of so much learning and refinement makes you thirsty for something new and sparkly (and just in time for a spot of tea and retail), you should head over to the Eslite (Crossroads of West Tianmu Street and Right Bank Street). This first Chinese outpost of the iconic Taipei store is less of a Dickensian bookstore than it is a glamourous retail haven that wouldn’t feel out of place in the most sophisticated cities of the world. Find everything your heart could desire, from red satin Karl Lagerfeld pumps to esoteric art tomes, from Marvis toothpaste to twee fine bone teacups to designer scooters. The beautiful building sits right by a canal near Jinji Lake, and has many pretty waterside cafes and fine eateries.

Lastly, retreat from the world at the just-opened Sangha Wellness Retreat, a modern resort sprawling over the shores of the Suzhou’s Yangcheng Lake. More than any mere hotel, this retreat seeks nothing less than to transform your life into one of mindfulness with its programmes that integrate Eastern and Western wisdoms in experiences, lessons, therapies and treatments. Who would have thought that one of the world’s most stunning spas could find a home in one of China’s most ancient cities? 199 Yangcheng Ring Rd, Yangcheng Island, Suzhou Industrial Park, Suzhou, 215000, China. www.livingoctave.com

Read more at http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/lifestyle/heaven-on-earth-suzhou-china-8745064