China is already embracing growths in both inbound and outbound tourism ahead of the Labor Day holiday, the first long public holiday for Chinese travelers after the eight-day-long Spring Festival holiday in February.

This year's Labor Day holiday lasts from May 1 to May 5, and people are now already planning their travels for the upcoming holiday.
According to data from multiple online tourism service providers, travel enthusiasm for this year's Labor Day holiday will be higher than that of last year and popular tourist destinations for inbound tourism during the period include Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Xi'an and other cities.
Meanwhile, some regions in the country which boast a diverse range of cuisine have been actively exploring the potential of food as a catalyst for tourism growth. On Central Street in Harbin, which emerged as the top tourist destination during this New Year holiday season, a bakery which offers various types of tasty breads, has drawn a long line of locals and tourists alike, who eagerly make purchases. Cultural and creative ice creams, inspired by Harbin's distinctive architecture and offering a variety of flavors, have also become a beloved choice among foodies.
Meanwhile, Tianshui, a small city in northwest China's Gansu Province, has witnessed a peak in tourist arrivals, thanks to the sudden popularity gained by the local street food Malatang, a spicy hot pot soup, on social media.
Ma Hui, owner of a tea house there, reported that her business has shown a considerable increase.
"Our usual customer count ranges from 400 to 500 people each day. (However,) the daily customer flow has now surged to 1,000 to 1,500 people. Income has also increased several times," said Ma.
In addition to domestic tourism market, China's outbound tourism is also riding a vigorous upward tide as many countries have signed mutual visa-free agreements with China, travel agencies said.
So far, the number of outbound tourists from China during the five-day holiday is expected to skyrocket by 370 percent from a year ago.
"Thailand and Singapore have become popular short-haul holiday destinations due to their visa-free policies. In addition, there has been a significant increase in inquiries for trips to European destinations this year. Particularly, due to the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris, France, the consultation volume for outbound tours to Europe has shown a considerable growth compared to that of last year," added Sun Ying, salesperson from Utour Travel Group.