Qingdao in East China's Shandong province boasts enchanting natural views. [Photo/WeChat account: qd12301]

Qingdao in East China's Shandong province was selected as one of the top 10 most popular destinations for inbound tourism during the Dragon Boat Festival, with a 21 percent year-on-year increase in inbound tourism bookings, according to a survey released by Ctrip, an online travel agency in China.

Data showed that as of June 9, pre-orders for tours around Qingdao increased by 5 percent year-on-year. The main sources of visitors to Qingdao during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday were Shanghai, Changsha, Chengdu, Shenzhen, and Beijing. Popular destinations for Qingdao locals during the holiday included Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Xuzhou, and Lianyungang. Popular local attractions in Qingdao were the Qingdao Beer Museum, Qingdao Underwater World, the former German governor's mansion in Qingdao, Laoshan Mountain, and Qingdao Fantawild Dreamland.

The Ctrip report indicated that due to the short holiday, the main destinations for outbound travel were concentrated in short-haul overseas countries such as Japan, Thailand, South Korea, Malaysia, and Singapore.

Traditional festivals have also become a window for foreign tourists to deepen their understanding of Chinese culture. According to the Ctrip report, as of June 9, inbound tourism orders for the Dragon Boat Festival in Qingdao increased by 21 percent year-on-year, with the most visitors coming from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, South Korea, and Malaysia.

Short-distance trips around the area and local travel have become popular again. Statistics from Ctrip showed that surrounding tours and local travel bookings accounted for nearly 70 percent of holiday travel bookings, and bookings for surrounding tours during the Dragon Boat Festival increased by nearly 20 percent compared to last year.

Traditional holidays have sparked people's desire to explore national culture and distinctive folk customs. Cultural and museum tours continue to lead tourism in Qingdao, with museums featuring unique themes becoming particularly popular during the Dragon Boat Festival.

Source: China Daily