2020’s top two emerging tourist destinations in China, and the places on most international visitors’ bucket lists

The United States sends the most tourists to China and almost all of them go to Beijing. Tibet is high on many bucket lists, but few Western tourists ever actually visit. China virtually empties of Western tourists during November, December and January. These are some of the takeaways from the third annual report on popular travel destinations in China by The China Guide, a travel agency in Beijing that develops customised tours for travellers from the US, Germany, France, Spain, Britain, Canada, Australia and elsewhere. What immediately stands out from the report – compiled from surveys of 2,300 travellers from across the globe – is that Beijing dominates almost every foreign traveller’s itinerary when visiting China. “Home to two of the best-known attractions that China has to offer – the Great Wall and the Forbidden City – Beijing is just so well known that almost all first-time travellers to the country include it on their trips,” says Denny Tian, author of the report at The China Guide. Beijing appears on 90 per cent of all visitors’ itineraries, but it’s not all for tourism. “Beijing is a major destination for many business travellers who often take one or two days off to do a sightseeing tour,” says Tian. Many business travellers to Shanghai also choose to visit Beijing if they have a spare day or two for a side trip, he says. Shanghai is the second most popular place to visit in the country, though it is far behind Beijing, appearing on just 25 per cent of travellers’ itineraries. Not surprisingly, Xian – home to the world-famous terracotta warriors of Qin Shi Huang, China’s first emperor – attracts 23 per cent of travellers. Away from China’s “golden triangle” of Beijing, Shanghai and Xian, the next most popular destination (on the itineraries of 10 per cent of travellers) is Guilin and nearby Yangshuo in southern China – famous for their dramatic mountainous landscapes. Other destinations on tourists’ radar include Chengdu, a rapidly developing city in southwest China; Suzhou in eastern China, famous for its classical gardens; Zhangjiajie in south-central Hunan province and gateway to the forested Wulingyuan Scenic Area, known for its dramatic mountain landscapes; Hangzhou, gateway to scenic West Lake; Pingyao in northern Shanxi province, famous for its well-preserved historic architecture; and Luoyang, a capital of ancient China known for its Buddhist temples and rock carvings. So where’s hot in China for 2020? The report says verdant, mountainous Yunnan province in the southwest, Datong in Shanxi, known for its grottoes and sacred Mount Hengshan, and Huangshan in eastern Anhui province, whose dramatic mountains inspired the landscape of the fictional planet in James Cameron’s film Avatar, were popular travel destinations in 2019. Two places stand out as emerging destinations. “In recent years, Zhangjiajie is getting more inquiries, partially because of its transparent glass bridge over its Grand Canyon,” says Tian. The Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge, which opened in 2016, is the world's highest glass-bottomed bridge and, since 2018, has been where the world’s highest bungee jump, with a 270-metre (886ft) drop, can be had. Chengdu, home of the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, is also becoming more popular among foreign travellers thanks to an increase in international flights to the Sichuan provincial capital, says Tian. The city also has a handy 144-hour visa-free policy for visitors in transit, which came into effect last year. For peak season travellers, there are still options for those who want to get off the beaten track. “For travellers who want to visit the Great Wall, we recommend the Jinshanling section, which is a little further from Beijing, but more scenic and less visited by Chinese tourists than the Badaling or Mutianyu [sections],” says Tian. Huangshan, Yunnan, Zhangjiajie, and Guizhou are good, quieter destinations for nature lovers, while visitors interested in Chinese culture should visit Pingyao, Luoyang, Shaolin and Datong, according to Tian. “Yunnan and Guizhou are also ideal destinations for people who want to explore Chinese minority cultures and lifestyles,” Tian says. Tibet, with its trekking, high-altitude vistas and monasteries, is a destination frequently requested by visitors, but it does not often make the final cut. “Travelling to Tibet demands more time and a bigger budget than other popular Chinese tourist areas because of its remote location and difficult access,” says Tian. The potential for altitude sickness could be another reason most travellers steer clear of the autonomous region. June is also just outside the peak season for foreign visitors to come to China. The vast majority – almost 70 per cent – visit China to take advantage of the milder weather in spring (March, April and May) and autumn (September, October and November). It’s not just cold weather that is worth avoiding. “Air pollution is usually at its worst in December, January and February when coal is burned for heating in northern China,” says Tian. However, he does not think it’s a major issue now that restrictions on coal usage are in place. More important is avoiding the Lunar New Year – which this year falls on January 25 – and the mass migrations to and from rural areas that occur before and after the holiday, one of China’s national “golden weeks”, when an estimated 3 billion journeys take place as people travel home for family reunions, then back to work. Despite the colourful celebrations around the country to usher in the Year of the Rat, this week is best avoided by international travellers. Look out for more stories from SCMP.com about exploring China