Long Zhijiao, a graduate student from Shanghai, will never forget the thrill of seeing the Northern Lights.

Traveling in Iceland with her parents last year, they were surprised to see such a number of Chinese tourists.

Like Long, more Chinese now visit Nordic countries to see the unique natural wonders.

Ctrip, a Shanghai-based online travel agency, said the number of tourists who booked trips to the far north of Europe through the agency increased by 82 percent last year.

They mainly visited from May to September when the weather was warmer.

Xie Ye, a local middle-school teacher, said she chose to visit Scandinavia with her family because of its beautiful scenery, particularly in Norway, and the cultural attractions of Denmark brought by the fairytale writer Hans Anderson.

“My daughter really loved Copenhagen,” she said. “We took her around on a bicycle.”

A report by Ctrip and the China Tourism Academy showed that the focus of Chinese tourists who traveled abroad in the first half of 2018 shifted from shopping to food and sightseeing.

Xie said she only bought some seafood, snacks and outdoor gear when traveling. “Prices there are generally high, so it is not an ideal place to buy luxuries.”

This year is China-Finland Year of Winter Sports. Ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics, winter sports have become more popular, providing huge potential for cooperation between the two countries.