* China is witnessing a travel boom during this year"s five-day May Day holiday, the first such holiday since the country optimized its COVID-19 response measures.

* Below are seven Chinese cities that are among the top holiday travel choices for tourists. Apart from first-tier cities, such as Beijing and Shanghai, smaller ones like Zibo of Shandong Province are gaining prominence due to their various attractions.

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* The holiday travel spree in China shows that the tourism sector is recovering at full tilt in the post-epidemic era, and the world"s second-largest economy is regaining its vitality.

BEIJING, May 1 (Xinhua) -- China is witnessing a travel boom during this year"s five-day May Day holiday, the first such holiday since the country optimized its COVID-19 response measures.

Domestic travel bookings for the holiday, which starts on April 29 this year, have surged more than 700 percent from last year, the latest data from online travel agency Trip.com Group shows.

Below are seven Chinese cities that are among the top holiday travel choices for tourists. Apart from first-tier cities, such as Beijing and Shanghai, smaller ones like Zibo of Shandong Province are gaining prominence due to their various attractions.

People take selfies at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, capital of China, April 29, 2023. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

BEIJING

As a historic and cultural city, the Chinese capital is undoubtedly one of the most popular destinations. This year, Beijing recommends 16 tourism routes highlighting the city"s ancient relics, royal gardens, parks, museums and venues for the Olympic Games and Winter Olympics. The Great Wall, the Palace Museum, the Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven and the National Stadium, also known as Bird"s Nest, are covered by the routes.

Nearly 300 plays and 1,170 performances will be put on during the holiday, including symphonies and dance dramas, providing a cultural feast for audiences to enjoy in the country"s cultural center.

Tourists visit the Bund in east China"s Shanghai on April 30, 2023. (Xinhua/Xin Mengchen)

SHANGHAI

Boasting the Bund, the Oriental Pearl Tower and Shanghai Disney Resort, Shanghai is listed among the top 10 destinations by multiple online travel platforms.

As an emerging means of travel following COVID-19, more and more tourists prefer a city walk, enjoying the historic buildings and street views along various interesting roads, such as Wukang Road and Anfu Road.

Located in the core area of the Yangtze River Delta, Shanghai has also witnessed a growth in regional tours radiating out from the city. Train tickets from Shanghai to nearby tourist cities such as Suzhou, which is famous for its traditional gardens, and Hangzhou, where West Lake is located, have almost sold out.

This aerial photo taken on April 30, 2023 shows tourists visiting the ancient city wall scenic spot in Xi"an, northwest China"s Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Liu Xiao)

XI"AN

Xi"an, a city with over 3,100 years of history, is home to the Terracotta Warriors, Weiyang Palace and the ancient city wall of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

After visiting the cultural ruins in the daytime, tourists can dress in traditional Chinese costumes to immerse themselves in the historic city in the evening, strolling through ancient buildings, having a taste of local snacks and watching the acrobatics and lion-dance shows in the street imitating the ancient street scenes of the Tang Dynasty (618-907).

GUANGZHOU

The southern city of Guangzhou attracts tourists with its landmark Guangzhou Tower, old and famous Cantonese restaurants, street night markets and night-cruise tours along the Zhujiang River.

The Guangzhou Chimelong Tourist Resort is a must-see destination for families with children. Not only can visitors find some 20,000 precious wild animals, including the giant panda triplets, in the safari park, but they can also watch an international circus attended by more than 300 performers from more than 20 countries. A fair featuring Chinese traditional costumes and an electric music night party are also held in the resort during the holiday.

Tourists watch lion dance at the Hong"an ancient town in Xiushan Tujia and Miao Autonomous County, southwest China"s Chongqing, April 30, 2023. (Photo by Hu Cheng/Xinhua)

CHONGQING

Known as a "mountain city," Chongqing in southwest China attracts people with its beautiful scenery, such as uneven roads and architecture built on hills and along the Yangtze River. Among the famous destinations are two UNESCO World Heritage sites: the Wulong Karst Scenic Area and the Dazu Rock Carvings. The former is famous for its giant sinkholes, natural bridges and caves, while the latter features an exceptional series of rock carvings dating from the 9th to the 13th century.

In the city proper, the ancient town of Ciqikou, dating back some 1,000 years to the Song Dynasty, the temple fair and night tours allow tourists to enjoy the culture in the "mountain city."

SANYA

Nicknamed "Oriental Hawaii," Sanya, in the island province of Hainan, has long been on the list of hot destinations for tourists in China.

In the past, the site mainly relied on its sea views to attract visitors, but nowadays, it offers a variety of tourism programs, as Sanya increasingly looks to refine its tourism sector. Tourists can ride a motorboat on the blue sea, sip coffee while reading in a seaside bookstore, enjoy a candlelight dinner and simply unwind with some self-brewed tea on the beach under the starry night sky.

ZIBO

Zibo, in east China"s Shandong Province, has become a new choice for travelers due to its iconic barbecues.

The city shot to national fame earlier this year after social media influencers hyped up the unique local barbecue -- grilled meat wrapped in pancakes with shallots. Initially popular among college students due to its unique taste, DIY style and affordability, the dish has now attracted swarms of tourists to the city.

While sparing no efforts to rein in hotel price hikes and implement tourist-friendly policies to cater to the holiday fervor, the city"s authorities issued a letter noting that the influx of tourists has exceeded the reception capacity and asked tourists to travel off-peak or consider other cities in Shandong.

Passengers have their tickets checked at the railway station in Huzhou, east China"s Zhejiang Province, April 29, 2023. (Photo by Yi Fan/Xinhua)

In addition to the above-listed cities, tourists also flock to Chengdu to watch giant pandas, to Xiamen to hear the sea breeze lying on the beach at Gulangyu Islet, and to Changsha to taste the yummy snacks at the night fair.

Some netizens said they would like to travel to any destination for which they can secure a plane or train ticket.

Railway trips in China hit a record high of 19.66 million passenger trips on Saturday, the first day of the holiday. About 120 million domestic trips are expected to be made by Chinese railway passengers from April 27 to May 4, an increase of 20 percent from the 2019 level. Meanwhile, the number of flight bookings for the holiday has already exceeded 6 million, generally equivalent to the level registered during the same holiday in 2019.

The holiday travel spree in China shows that the tourism sector is recovering at full tilt in the post-epidemic era, and the world"s second-largest economy is regaining its vitality. (Video reporters: Ma Xiaodong, Chen Aiping, Chen Zhihao, Li Yanan, Cai Xinyi, Zhu Xiaoguang, Feng Yuanyuan, Yang Jinxin, Zhang Haoran, Song Lifeng; video editors: Zhang Qiru, Li Qin, Liu Yutian)■

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