China's inbound travel industry is back in busines

Popular spots

Traditional tourist destinations, including Beijing, Shaanxi province's Xi'an, Shanghai and Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region's Guilin city, remain popular among foreign guests, says Liu Hongshi, deputy general manager for Beijing-based China Travel Service's inbound tourism department.

His company is among China's biggest travel brands.

"Chengdu in Sichuan province enjoys popularity among tourists from Europe and the US because of the panda," Liu says.

Internationally well-known holiday resorts, such as those in Hainan province's Sanya and Zhejiang province's Wuzhen town, have all received positive reviews from foreign guests, Liu adds.

Anastasia Sukhoretskaya from Russia says: "People around me complained of too many visitors at scenic spots in China. But overall, food and sightseeing are pretty nice."

There is an increased interest among Russians to travel in China, she adds.