Ski, hot spring destinations gain popularity
Huzhou's misty landscape
With the clock ticking down to the new year, reservations for spring vacations and ski tours are skyrocketing in the wake of the fuel surcharge cut, according to domestic travel operators.
People in southern parts of China have shown a much stronger preference for hot spring tours, with bookings accounting for more than 70 percent of the total in November, with Shanghai, Nanjing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Suzhou the top 5 source markets, online travel operator Tuniu said.
Huzhou's frozen trees
Since November, searches of hot spring-related products surged more than 200 percent from October, with bookings growing significantly as well, it said.
As of the end of November, bookings of ski products had far exceeded that of the same period in 2019, Shanghai Spring Tour said.
"I have found an increasing number of children learning to ski with their parents at ski slopes this year," said Wen Yan, a ski enthusiast.
From next Tuesday, the fuel surcharge of air tickets will be cut by 10 yuan (US$1.4) and 20 yuan based on flying distances.
As of the end of November, the search index of domestic air tickets for the New Year's holiday had soared 77 percent from the same period in 2019, according to Shanghai-based online travel operator Trip.com.
Wugong Mountain's winter scenery
Amid the strong winter tourism market, tourist destinations have beefed up marketing campaigns to lure travelers.
Cultural and tourism authorities from Huzhou City, in neighboring Zhejiang Province, unveiled its autumn and winter sports attractions, ranging from hiking to cycling and skiing.
They boast the trail of Lu Yu (AD 733-804), a tea expert in the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907); Huzhou Binhu Avenue totaling 50.6 kilometers along Taihu Lake; Longemont Snow World, a 70,000-square-meter ski attraction; and SkyLand Resort which boasts a 300,000-square-kilometer ski slope.
The Longemont Snow World, part of the Taihu Lake Longemont Paradise, includes two themed sections with 16 ski tracks, the longest of which stretches 150 meters.
The launch of the Shanghai-Suzhou-Huzhou railway is expected to further cut the travel time between Shanghai and Huzhou next year.
Longemont Snow World in Huzhou
Wugong Mountain Scenic Area in Pingxiang City, Jiangxi Province, is offering discounted tickets and accommodation for group tourists from Shanghai.
As a national 5A tourist attraction, a national-level geopark and a national natural heritage, the scenic area with more than 2,000 attractions is known for magnificent peaks adorned with an array of peculiar and diverse rock formations, cascading waterfalls, and alpine meadows at an altitude of more 1,600 meters.
It is also home to hot springs that offer a year-round spring-like atmosphere and health benefits containing more than 20 trace elements such as fluoride and lithium.
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Para-sailing over Wugong Mountain
Tang Yexin -
Wugong Mountain
Zang Xiude -
Camping festival in Wugong Mountain
Huang Caizhao -
Wugong Mountain.
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