Despite price increases, many local travel agencies reported full bookings on their mid and long-distance tours, the Shanghai Morning Post reported today.
Locals signing up for tours to Lushan Mountain and Nanchang are having to wait for at least five days before setting off, with those for popular destinations like Hainan and Wuyi Mountain required to wait for 10 to 18 days.
The price of a five-day tour to Lushan Mountain increased from 690 yuan (US$83) to 720 yuan, but still attracted many tourists, said a spokesman with the Shanghai China Youth Travel Service Tour Corporation.
The hot weather has driven up the sales of train tours, with middle-aged and elderly people the main tourist group.
Tours to Hainan have reached a peak. Travellers wishing to visit the island must wait until July 20. Due to the airfare increases, average tour prices to Hainan increased by 300 yuan from the pervious month, the highest price rise among domestic tours.
As some local enterprises are asked to switch their production schedules due to power shortages, many employees, who are on leave on a shift pattern, are interested in taking short holidays.