(Yicai) Jan. 2 -- Airports in small and mid-sized Chinese cities set passenger traffic records last year as aviation networks expanded and travelers switched away from tourist traps to slow holidays and unique experiences.

Passenger throughput at Enshi Xujiaping Airport in Hubei province surpassed 1.5 million as of Dec. 5, an increase of over 70,000 compared with all of 2019, Yicai learned from the operator. The airport has flights to big cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Hangzhou.

As of Dec. 1, Yangzhou Taizhou International Airport in Jiangsu province logged 2023 passenger throughput that exceeded three million, a new high, an official disclosed. Moreover, Zhejiang's Quzhou Airport recorded 719,000 travelers last year as of Oct. 23, more than doubling from 2019 and an almost threefold increase year-over-year.

Unlike big cities, small and mid-sized cities offer more relaxed lifestyles, and residents in these cities are more willing to travel elsewhere, per a report released by online travel agency Qunar.Com. These third- or lower-tier cities are attractive for offline leisure as more than 40 percent of surveyed travelers said they prefer staying in small cities for vacations. 

Leaving large cities for holidays has become more trendy in recent years as new tourism destinations pop up such as Shandong province's Zibo, Jilin province’s Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, and Gansu province’s Jiuquan which is home to China’s satellite launch center.

People are changing their thinking about tourism, according to Peng Peng, executive president of the Guangdong Institutional Reform Research Association. Early on, people mainly chose popular and famous scenic spots but now they are starting to value unique experiences, he said.

Many people want to go to places that are uncrowded, relatively affordable, have good food, and are culturally different, Peng added.

Editor: Emmi Laine