QINGDAO -- As summer vacation kicks off in China, destinations around the country have been holding recreational activities and opening more spaces to the public to draw in tourism.

From the beginning of July to the end of August, the summer vacation period when students are off school nationwide, travel demand significantly increases.

In recent days, the daily number of inbound and outbound tourists at Gongbei Port in Zhuhai City of south China's Guangdong Province has exceeded 300,000, largely driven by families visiting Macao, where cultural activities are being held to attract tourists during the summer break.

With its pleasantly cool climate, Heilongjiang Province in northeast China has also emerged as a sought-after tourist destination, offering a welcome escape from the summer heat.

Recently, at a scenic spot featuring the culture of the Hezhe ethnic group in Jiamusi City, more than 200 running enthusiasts gathered together for a challenging uphill cross-country race.

"The weather here is perfect for the cross-country race," said Liang Junxi, runner in the race.

As the country's capital city, Beijing is home to no shortage of renowned scenic spots, but this summer its prestigious institutions of higher learning such as Peking University and Tsinghua University have opened their campuses, attracting many interested young people.

The two-month-long holiday also offers opportunities for foreign students studying in China to discover the captivating beauty of the country.

Hamna, a student from Pakistan, came to China about one year ago. She is a student at the Ocean University of China in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province.

The student said she always shares her travel experiences in China with her family.