Parachuting is increasingly popular for visitors to Sanya, Hainan province. There is a growing demand among tourists for more immersive holiday experiences.[Photo/Xinhua]

　　Standing beside the emerald waters of the Dulong River in Southwest China's Yunnan province, Beijing-based traveler Li Li closes her eyes and allows the crisp mountain air to fill her lungs.

　　“I didn't come here just to check off a bucket list item,“ she says. “I wanted to live here, even for just a few days, to share stories around a Lisu ethnic group's fire pit and the walk trails untouched by crowds.“

　　Li's decision to trade iconic landmarks for a slower, more culturally grounded experience reflects a broader transformation sweeping China's travel sector.

　　This year's five-day May Day holiday, which concluded on May 5, highlights a clear shift — more Chinese travelers are moving beyond traditional sightseeing.

　　Instead, they seek immersion; deep, personal experiences that blur the line between observer and participant.

　　Data from the tourism platform Tongcheng Travel highlights this trend. While major cities like Beijing and Shanghai remain popular destinations, long-distance domestic travel surged westward, dominating flight bookings. Over half of top travel routes are connected to southwest provinces like Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, and Chongqing municipality, as urban professionals leave skyscrapers for misty peaks and open grasslands.

　　Even locals from the Sichuan capital of Chengdu headed further west, flying to Lhasa to experience the allure of the Xizang autonomous region.