(Yicai Global) Dec. 27 -- The steady rise of disposable income has made tourism a staple for many Chinese, and travel during public holidays will become ever more vital in promoting consumption, a report on vacation travel by China's National Tourism Administration concludes.

The number of domestic tourists is expected to total 135 million over the New Year, for an annual increase of 12.5 percent, and revenue from domestic tourism will be CNY76 billion (USD11.7 billion), up 13 percent from a year earlier, the report estimates.

Sunny destinations and ice-and-snow tours will be the preferred options, so the south will attract many wishing to escape the chill, while tours featuring skiing, skating and snow enjoyment will lure hordes of heartier tourists to the icy north, per the report.

The southern cities of Sanya, Xiamen, Hangzhou and Kunming, and northern Beijing and Harbin are expected to top the most popular tourist destinations list, the report indicates. Since the first national holiday next year is relatively short, however, most people are likely to choose short-distance tours in adjacent areas, with travel by self-owned vehicles the first choice, the report predicts. New Year's Day falls on a Monday this time, which, together with the weekend from Dec. 30 to 31, confers only a three-day break on most Chinese office workers.