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SHANGHAI, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- A popular online travel agency said a growing number of Chinese tourists are heading to rural Chinese villages to spend their summer vacation.

The report released by Lvmama.com, a Shanghai-based online travel agency, said the number of Chinese tourists who booked rural packages in July and August jumped by 50 percent year on year.

Visits to rural areas are more frequent, the agency said, with the number of travelers who have taken more than three rural visits is growing, it said.

Big cities such as Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Wuhan, Chongqing, and Suzhou are the most popular destinations in China for tourists. About 70 percent of domestic travelers choose destinations close to their hometowns or cities where they live.

The report said rural resorts are becoming more unique, high-end and provide interactive activities.

Li Qiuyan, public relations chief of Lvmama, said rural tourism is developing with a strong push from the on-going poverty alleviation campaign.

Data from the China Tourism Academy shows the Chinese rural tourism market recorded 1.4 trillion yuan in sales and 2.5 billion visitors in 2017. The market is expected to continue expanding this year, said Li.