(Yicai) Oct. 23 -- The number of domestic trips made by Chinese rural residents increased 25 percent in the first three quarters of the year, as their income grew thanks to the implementation of rural revitalization policies.

Five billion domestic trips were made in China in the nine months ended Sept. 30, up 18 percent from a year earlier, according to data released by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism on Oct. 21. Among them, 3.8 billion were made by urban residents and 1.2 billion by rural residents, up 16 percent and 25 percent, respectively.

The development of the economy and the implementation of the rural revitalization strategy have led to an increase in the per capita disposable income of rural residents, thereby driving their demand for tourism.

China's average per capita disposable income was CNY32,509 (USD4,563) in the first three quarters, a nominal increase of 5.1 percent from a year earlier, and a real increase of 5.2 percent after deducting the price factor, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics.

The per capita disposable income of urban residents rose 4.4 percent in nominal terms to CNY42,991 in the period, with a real increase of 4.5 percent, the NBS data also showed. Meanwhile, that of rural residents was CNY17,686, surging 5.7 percent on a nominal basis, with a real growth of 6 percent.

As income levels continue to rise and transportation infrastructure improves, many people who did not or rarely did travel in the past have begun to travel now, said Peng Peng, executive president of the Guangdong branch of the China Society of Economic Reform.

The tourism market in first- and second-tier cities in China has become increasingly mature and saturated, according to a report by the China Tourism Academy in March. Therefore, more residents from lower-tier cities, counties, and rural areas are participating in domestic tourism activities, boosting tourism consumption.

Tourism has now integrated into the daily lives of a wider range of urban and rural residents, the CTA report concluded.

The infrastructure improvements and the increasing popularity of cars in rural areas have also made it more convenient for rural residents to travel.

The cost of owning a vehicle in rural areas is very low, so many families have bought cars, a rural resident from Anxi county in China's eastern Fujian province said. "Now we often drive to nearby cities and counties to visit attractions, and even reach some scenic spots in neighboring provinces," he explained.

Editor: Futura Costaglione