Long-stay tourism gains momentum in Yunnan

Yunnan is seeing a sharp rise in long-stay tourism as more travelers opt to "travel and reside" in the province rather than make brief sightseeing stops.

More than 45 percent of visitors to the province this summer stayed for at least five days, up nine percentage points on last year, according to data released on Sept 11 by the Domestic Tourism Market Joint Laboratory set up by the Yunnan Tourism Planning Institute and Hopegoo, a domestic travel agency.

Online bookings rose 136 percent year-on-year, while tourism product sales increased 137 percent. Long-stay visitor numbers more than doubled, with spending up over 95 percent. Intercity travel and car-rental orders jumped 167 percent.

Out-of-province and inbound tourists accounted for 58 percent of visitors, with Guangdong, Sichuan, Zhejiang, Guizhou and Hunan topping the list of source regions, according to the data.

Regarding visitor demographics, 35 percent of summer tourists were families with children, while senior tourists made up 28 percent, young creators and freelancers represented 22 percent, and educational tours 15 percent.

Travel preferences were tailored to suit all age groups. For example, the silver generation favored wellness and socializing, opting for cities like Pu'er and Baoshan with pleasant climates and comprehensive medical facilities, and enjoyed hot spring therapy as well as farm work.

According to Kunming Daily, residing in and discovering the beauty of Yunnan has become the key for tourists to unlock what is referred to as "an ideal life".