Tourists running to marathon destinations

Professional atheletes and tourists from around the world compete in a New York marathon. [Photo provided to China Daily]

They've peered from the Empire State Building, admired masterpieces at the Louvre and relaxed at the hot springs near Mount Fuji. Now Chinese tourists are tackling the next thing on their must-do lists: world-class marathons.

The trend is apparent at the Gold Coast Airport Marathon, held every July in Queensland, Australia. The number of Chinese participating in the race has risen from just 27 in 2013 to 161 last year and 251 this year.

China's outbound tourists hit 100 million last year and have unseated Americans as the world's biggest spenders on foreign travel, Mark Williams, an economist at Capital Economics, says in a research note on Tuesday.

The arrival of Chinese tourists - and their money - has spurred governments and tourism organizations worldwide to make the world's top destinations more accessible and appealing to Chinese visitors.

The Gold Coast Airport Marathon, recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations with Gold Label status, has long been a selling point for tourism in the eastern Australian region.

While other IAAF-awarded marathons in New York, Boston, London and Tokyo hold their events during the northern hemisphere's cooler months, the winter down under makes July an ideal time for a run.

Grace Pan, director, Greater China region, Tourism and Events Queensland, says that the marathon has gained popularity among Chinese runners thanks to promotional campaigns over the past three years.