China’s Heat-Avoidance Tourism Market Surges This Summer
China’s summer heat-avoidance tourism market is experiencing a surge in demand this season, with travelers flocking to cooler destinations across the country as extreme heat grips much of the nation. From reverse-season skiing in Inner Mongolia to long-term summer residences in Yunnan, the market is showing remarkable diversity in both supply and demand, according to Xinhua News.
A Booming Market with Diverse Offerings
The China Meteorological Administration released the 2026 National Heat-Avoidance Climate Resource Map in early July, identifying 45 high-quality heat-avoidance regions across the country. The map categorizes these destinations into four types—plateau, mountain, coastal, and forest—each offering distinct cooling experiences, as reported by Hainan News.
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism launched the 2026 National Summer Culture and Tourism Consumption Season on July 8 in Haibei, Qinghai Province. The season, running through the end of August, features over 30,000 cultural tourism events and more than 450 million yuan in consumption vouchers and subsidies, according to Zhejiang Online.
Traditional Destinations Hold Strong
Traditional long-distance heat-avoidance destinations remain popular. Guiyang, Qingdao, Kunming, Liupanshui, Dalian, Harbin, Datong, Hulunbuir, Xining, and Chengde top the list of the 2026 long-distance heat-avoidance destinations, according to Tongcheng Travel’s “2026 Heat-Avoidance Tourism Trend Report,” which showed that searches for “heat avoidance” on the platform increased by over 50% week-over-week, as covered by Pinchain.
Meanwhile, a new wave of “cool small cities” is emerging as travelers seek lesser-known destinations. Shangri-La, Jiuzhaigou County, Kangding, and Mohe City rank among the top county-level heat-avoidance destinations, offering authentic experiences, natural ecology, and local culture.
Innovative Experiences Drive Growth
In Yakeshi City, Inner Mongolia, visitors are experiencing a unique summer attraction—skiing on stored winter snow. The city’s Phoenix Mountain scenic area opened its “Summer Snow Carnival” on August 16, featuring a 500-meter ski run preserved through innovative wrapping technology. The event has drawn over 10,000 visitors per day, with Yakeshi receiving 1.9266 million tourists year-to-date, up 6.48% year-over-year.
“Transportation is very convenient here, the weather is cooler than I imagined, and I never expected to be able to ski!” said Chang Guanghao, a tourist from Jinan, Shandong.
Qujing City in Yunnan Province has become a popular summer residence destination, with an average summer temperature of 19.7°C and air quality excellence rate above 98%. The city has developed four service brands—“Migratory Bird Home,” “Migratory Bird Canteen,” “Migratory Bird Park,” and “Migratory Bird Station”—to serve long-stay visitors. Over 30,000 free bus cards have been issued to heat-avoidance tourists in Qilin District alone.
Inbound and Outbound Heat-Avoidance Tourism Surges
International interest in China as a heat-avoidance destination is growing rapidly. European cities including Edinburgh, Barcelona, London, Madrid, and Rome saw over 20% month-over-month growth in flight bookings to China in July, with UK-China flight bookings growing over 80% year-over-year. In the first half of 2026, 22.914 million foreigners entered China, up 20.4% year-over-year, as noted by China Youth Daily.
Flight data shows significant growth to cool destinations. In July, bookings to Delingha and Balikun in the northwest grew over 150%, while Zhangjiakou in the north grew about 170%. Flights to “cool destination” routes grew over five times year-over-year, according to 21st Century Business Herald.
“From flight booking data, European long-haul travelers have grown significantly,” said Shi Ke, a researcher at Qunar Big Data Research Institute. “In July 2026, Swedish tourists’ domestic flight bookings grew 3.3 times year-over-year, and tourists from Southern European countries like Greece grew 3 times.”
A Full-Age Market
The heat-avoidance tourism market shows “full-age” characteristics, appealing to all demographic groups. Nearly 60% of health and residence products in traditional destinations like Guizhou are booked by travelers aged 60-75, while family travelers aged 30-45 account for nearly 40% of long-distance sightseeing and weekend heat-avoidance products.
Summer residence tourism is also growing, with bookings for stays of 15 or more consecutive days up 22% year-over-year, and Yunnan and Guizhou residence orders growing over 40%, according to China Youth Net.
Looking Ahead
As extreme heat events become more frequent globally, China’s heat-avoidance tourism market is expected to continue its strong growth trajectory. The combination of diverse natural resources, innovative tourism products, and supportive government policies positions China as a leading destination for summer cooling travel, both for domestic and international visitors.
With the summer season still in full swing and destinations across the country innovating to attract visitors, the heat-avoidance tourism market shows no signs of cooling down.