China’s thrill-seekers splash out on adventure tourism as social media lures them off-grid
A growing contingent of Chinese tourists seeks ‘shareable’ and ‘off-the-beaten-path experiences’, away from the hustle and bustle of urban sightseeing
Big city lights? Too dull, say bright-eyed Chinese travellers who prefer to dream of far-flung locales – areas more likely to drain their life alongside their bank account. And oh, what a thrill.
Chinese tourists eyeing overseas excursions are increasingly turning their gaze to remote areas – generally away from urban settings and run-of-the-mill tourist destinations that comprise the photo posts of more traditional travellers, and towards off-the-beaten-path locations that, in many cases, wowed them on social media.
They are often pitched as once-in-a-lifetime experiences that allow people to disconnect from the daily grind and immerse themselves in the beauty and thrill of nature, albeit from a relatively safe vantage point.
Huang Yihe, a 28-year-old operator at a foreign trade company in Shanghai, said she spares no expense in her quest to avoid the most popular sights and destinations when travelling.
“Where can’t you see [something like the] Petronas Twin Towers,” she eye-rollingly asked of the world’s tallest twin skyscrapers, which have since the turn of the century become dwarfed in height by 20 single structures around the world.
She had just completed an adventure in the jungles of Malaysia, where she set out to find the world’s largest rafflesia. Known as the “corpse flower” or “stinking corpse lily”, it is famous for its massive size and smell of rotting flesh.