Chinese heatwave prompts tourists to head to the high ground

Large parts of the country are experiencing temperatures of more than 40 degrees Celsius, prompting a surge of interest in trips to cooler places

An easing of travel curbs appears to have helped boost tourism in some popular destinations, but Covid restrictions remain a concern for some

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Tourists are seeking out forests, lakes and mountains in provinces such as Guizhou. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 8:24pm, 17 Jul 2022

The heatwave sweeping across China is pushing tourists to seek out cooler destinations this summer following the easing of restrictions on domestic travel.

The current heatwave is centred on the vast Yangtze River basin, stretching from Chengdu in Sichuan to coastal Shanghai, and has affected more than 900 million of China’s 1.4 billion people, according to the National Climate Centre.

Cities such as Chongqing have recorded record highs this month. Photo: Xinhua

It has brought temperatures of more than 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) to large parts of the country, with record highs recorded in some of the country’s most populous cities such as Chongqing and Shanghai and many cases of heatstroke.

According to a report by Tongcheng Travel and Moji Weather, as of Friday, online search traffic for the keyword “heat escape” increased by 127 per cent week-on-week, and the popularity of relevant keywords such as “water world”, “rafting” and “forest” had also risen significantly.

These searches were most common in the cities and provinces along the Yangtze River Basin.

One woman named Wu from the southern city of Guangzhou said she has spent the past week in the mountains of southwestern Guizhou province, which is well known for its waterfalls.