More tourists go for deep travel for better experience

TAIYUAN -- Dancing actors dressed up as Song Dynasty (960-1279) maids received rounds of applause from audiences, who were also in traditional Chinese dress known as Hanfu.

The performance was staged in the Jinci Museum in Taiyuan, capital of North China's Shanxi province, to give an immersive experience to visitors. It is part of a local cultural festival held last week.

The festival also included a photo contest, a Hanfu show by teenagers, and poetry recitations. Tourists dressed in Hanfu could gain free admission to the museum.

Li Xintong, 20, was one of the visitors dressed in Hanfu. A history major at a university in Shanxi Province, she has been interested in traditional Chinese culture since childhood.

"Shanxi boasts rich cultural heritage. I have made a travel plan to visit 50 cultural relics sites in my spare time," said Li.

In recent years, many new tourism products have been created with the integration of culture, art, and technology, and this has greatly changed the travel of many Chinese people.

Yu Guodong, who has been in the tourism industry for more than 20 years, said tourists used to take busy trips that include several destinations in a short time. Some products that offered traveling to several cities in days were very popular.

"Nowadays, increasingly more of the younger generation like deep and even customized tours, and many even help to create new popular destinations after they share photos and videos on social media platforms," said Yu.

Near a salt lake in Yuncheng, Shanxi province, there is a newly opened B&B art village.

"The village has become a popular destination even before we rolled out promotional activities. Young people are so good at discovering new places for fun," said Li Jie, general manager of the Beijing Xiangyu Tourism Development Company.

Many tourists post short videos on social networks about their stay in the village, like enjoying the breeze while overlooking the colorful salt lake at dusk, setting up a tent and tasting local food, and making handicrafts with cultural elements.

The short videos have not only won thousands of likes but also inspired travel strategies for many viewers.

"To understand a place, people need to start with local folk culture," said Feng Qing, a travel blogger. "For people who love deep travel, they should not only visit the spots but also explore the local customs and street delicacies."

"The integrated development of culture and tourism could better meet the increasingly diversified travel demand," said Geng Yeqiang, a professor at the School of Economics and Management of Shanxi University.