China's tourism market sees surge during May Day holiday

China's tourism market went into full swing during the just-finished five-day May Day holiday, from Thursday to Monday.

Latest figures unveiled by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism show that over the long break, domestic scenic spots have received about 314 million visits, up 6.4 percent year-on-year. Travelers have spent over 180 billion yuan ($25 billion) on tourism consumption, with the number rising by 8 percent year-on-year.

Destinations with strong cultural vibes or well-preserved ancient Chinese architecture, such as Tengchong in the southwestern province of Yunnan and Xixian in Shanxi, are favored by travelers, said the ministry.

The inbound and outbound tourism market has also experienced a boom over the holiday. According to the ministry, about 57.4 percent of inbound travelers to the mainland during the May Day holiday are from Myanmar, South Korea, Malaysia and Australia, thanks to the optimized visa and tax refund policies.

The ministry added that overseas destinations such as Japan, South Korea and Singapore have attracted crowds of Chinese travelers over the five-day holiday. Other popular overseas destinations for Chinese people to spend their vacation include Thailand, Indonesia, Australia, Cambodia and Russia.