(Yicai Global) May 6 -- China’s tourism revenue more than doubled during the May Day holiday from a year ago as young people got encouraged to travel amid the country's economic recovery and the accelerating Covid-19 vaccination drive.

Tourism revenue soared to CNY113.2 billion (USD17.5 billion), the Ministry of Culture and Tourism disclosed yesterday. The sum was 77 percent of that of the same period in 2019. The number of travelers was 230 million over the five-day holiday, a 3 percent increase from that of 2019.

Most of the tourists were young. Those born in the 1990s made up 37 percent of the total, while people born in the 80s accounted for 27 percent of all. Moreover, young adults born after 2000 made up 21 percent of the tally.

These travelers preferred theme parks, natural attractions such as Mount Hua, and historical sites including Old Summer Palace. Village and evening tours, as well as important sites for the Communist Party of China were some of the highlights for the tourists.

Many online travel agencies reported record-breaking numbers. Trip.Com said the number of orders jumped almost threefold from 2020. On Qunar.Com, travelers made 30 percent more flight bookings from 2019 while hotel reservations climbed by more than 40 percent. Each person spent about CNY1,713 (USD265), according to the latter agency.

Beijing, Shanghai, southwestern China's Chengdu, southern Guangdong province's Guangzhou and south-central Chongqing, were the most popular travel destinations, according to Trip.Com. But tourists were spending the most money in Sichuan province's Chengdu, or about CNY2,600 (USD401) per person.

Editor: Emmi Laine, Xiao Yi