Travelers crave the adventure of their lifetime

Aging Chinese luxury travelers with leisure time on their hands are willing to explore some less-visited parts of the world.

Their passion for South America has been rising this year since the Rio Olympics, with the number of trip bookings made through tour organizer HH Travel increasing by 50 percent.

South America has been a popular vacation destination among Europe and North America's wealthy. So, world-class luxury hotels are not difficult to find in the region. More importantly, for some experienced travelers who have been to more than 20 countries and regions, South America is increasingly attractive.

Some more adventurous travelers have already made their footprints on African soil.

According to HH Travel, Chinese luxury travelers are increasingly showing greater interest in the wilder areas of the African continent. Watching the Great Wildebeest Migration, living in hotels surrounded by wild animals such as giraffes and elephants or with a view of Mount Kilimanjaro will create lifetime memories for tourists.

Liu Yue, 56, said jokingly that she spends nearly two-thirds of the year on the road. As Liu and her husband have retired, they handed over their family business in Shanghai to their 31-year-old son, and now have the time to travel to the places where they have longed to go.

"When we don't have any special plans, we will travel around China so that my husband can test his skills at different golf courses. But this year, we made two long trips to South America and Africa where I think everyone who has the time must go.

"Despite having to the trouble of applying for visas and get vaccinations against diseases, the natural scenery there more than makes up for it. I could hardly hold back my tears when I saw the Milky Way galaxy in the sky while traveling in the Amazon River area. When I saw a flock of more than 1 million flamingos, I was totally speechless. Nature is so full of surprises," she said.

"As the old Chinese saying goes, 'He who travels far knows much'. For us, we are long past the age when people have the yearning for luxury products. Lifetime experiences are what we cherish now," Liu said.