The domestic tourism sector is booming in China. Nowhere is that more visible than at the spectacular Rainbow Mountains of Zhangye, where nature, mass tourism and state-staged spectacles collide. During holiday periods, millions of people flock to the vividly colored landscape. Tour guide Luo Shasha has witnessed the daily surge firsthand, as well as a shift in travel habits: away from museums and toward nature, hiking and camping.
Despite economic uncertainty, the desire to travel remains strong, although many visitors are spending cautiously. Tourism in China is becoming more tightly managed, and is increasingly focused on curated experiences.