Holiday saw more visitors at cultural sites

Travelers focused more than usual on cultural experiences during this year's Tomb Sweeping Festival holiday, according to a report by the China Tourism Academy and online travel agency Lvmama on Sunday.

The three-day holiday is a traditional festival in which Chinese people visit their ancestors' grave sites and venture out on spring outings.

Scenic spots highlighting traditional Chinese culture and attractions of historical inheritance－the Palace Museum in Beijing, for example－were popular choices for travelers during the holiday, along with traditional activities such as camping and appreciating blossoms, the report said.

"Outing plans such as hiking or camping are easily affected by weather. I enjoy visiting places with rich culture and I'm overwhelmed by it," said Chen Luyao, a 26-year-old tourist from Shanghai, during a visit to the Palace Museum.

"The museum shows me a whole picture of the lives of the ancient royal families. It's more interesting to spend time here."

So-called red tourist attractions, including commemorative parks at revolutionary sites, were also big among tourists, thanks in part to ticket discounts and gifts, such as bookmarks and other souvenirs.

The Memorial Hall for the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Jiangsu province received more than 40,000 visitors over the holiday.

Nan Ping, a 35-year-old woman who was born in Nanjing, said: "Tomb Sweeping Festival is the traditional festival to remember ancestors. Those killed in the massacre are also worth remembering."

Domestic scenic spots logged more than 100 million visits during the three-day break, a year-on-year increase of 8.3 percent. Revenue generated hit a record high of 42.1 billion yuan ($6.7 billion), an 8 percent increase over last year, the report said.

People born in the 1990s have become the main driving force of tourism during the Tomb Sweeping Festival holiday, accounting for nearly 40 percent of the visitors, followed by people born in the 1980s.

Lvmama said the report was based on a survey of its users.