With the hot summer weather, cool travel has become an increasingly popular choice. Newly released data from multiple online travel platforms shows that this year's demand for summer travel is significantly more diversified. Traditional long-distance summer destinations remain popular, while the popularity of a number of "cool small towns" is rapidly increasing. Demand for cross-regional and international summer travel is also rising.

Recently, the China Meteorological Administration released the 2026 National Summer Resort Climate Resource Map, covering 45 high-quality summer resort areas and encompassing cool landscapes such as plateaus, mountains, coastlines, and forests. How can various regions leverage their climate advantages to promote innovative development of "cool tourism"? Reporters conducted on-site investigations into new consumption scenarios and business models in summer tourism.

With a wide variety of activities, off-season skiing offers plenty of fun.

Chang Guanghao, a tourist from Jinan, Shandong, never expected to be able to experience the fun of outdoor skiing during the summer vacation.

This summer vacation, Chang Guanghao and his family traveled to Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia. A few days ago, they set off from Hulunbuir city and arrived in Yakeshi city, passing through wetlands, grasslands and forests along the way. "The transportation here is very convenient, the weather is cooler than I expected, and I never thought I could go skiing!" Chang Guanghao said.

On August 16th, the "Summer Fun, Winter Snow: Double Enjoyment in One Season"—2026 Hulunbuir Yakeshi Phoenix Mountain Summer Snow Carnival—opened. Skiing, snow tubing, snowmobiling, and other snow sports were offered in a variety of exciting activities, with shouts and laughter filling the air. Standing atop the slope, the over 500-meter-long and 40-meter-wide pristine white snow track stood out brightly against the lush green mountains.

Where does snow come from?

"These are all winter snow that has remained unmelted for three seasons, thanks to both the relatively low summer temperatures in Yakeshi and the meticulous snow-covering techniques," explained the head of the Phoenix Mountain Scenic Area. The previous winter, the team selected 100,000 cubic meters of snow and covered its surface with multiple layers of protective materials, including sunshade netting and alfalfa, to isolate it from the high temperatures and air currents, thus maintaining the snow's whiteness and softness.

Yakeshi City is located in the central part of the Greater Khingan Mountains, with an average summer temperature of only around 17 degrees Celsius and a forest coverage rate of 78.7%. However, compared to more well-known tourist destinations such as Manzhouli and Ergun, Yakeshi has long lacked a distinctive cultural and tourism brand. Off-season skiing is becoming a breakthrough for its differentiated cultural and tourism development.

Inside the ski resort, numerous professional skiers from home and abroad were enjoying their time. "We use professional competitions as a link to host many large-scale events, such as the FIS Cross-Country Skiing Summer Tour and the National Summer Cross-Country Skiing Challenge, attracting ski enthusiasts to watch the competitions and enjoy the scenery," said He Yang, director of the Yakeshi Municipal Bureau of Culture, Sports, Tourism and Radio and Television. He added that the local government also regularly organizes cultural and tourism enterprises to hold tourism promotion events in major source markets such as the Yangtze River Delta, the Pearl River Delta, and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, promoting mutual tourist exchange and market sharing.

After skiing, Chang Guanghao and his family took an off-road vehicle onto the "Secret Route 108." Rolling down the windows, a cool breeze blew, and the vast forest stretched out before them. The 108-kilometer route connects forests, grasslands, flower fields, and hills and ravines, offering stunning scenery. "We've completely paved the roads and, according to the plan, built campsites, rest stops, and viewpoints along the highway to allow tourists to immerse themselves in the beautiful scenery," said He Yang.

It is reported that during this series of events, Yakeshi received over 10,000 visitors per day, effectively attracting visitors and boosting cultural and tourism consumption. Since the beginning of this year, Yakeshi has received a total of 1.9266 million visitors, a year-on-year increase of 6.48%, with total tourism revenue reaching 2.522 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 9.75%.

"Yakeshi will continue to leverage its forest and snow resources, enrich its cultural and tourism product offerings, innovate its activities, extend the snow and ice industry chain, continuously unleash the vitality of the cultural and tourism market, and promote the quality and efficiency improvement of the city's cultural and tourism industry," said He Yang.

Meticulous service makes your summer getaway even more comfortable.

At 7 a.m. in Qujing, Yunnan, Fu Xiao, a retired teacher from Xiamen, Fujian, opened the window of her apartment and a cool breeze carrying the fragrance of grass and trees wafted in.

The highest temperature in Qujing that day was 19 degrees Celsius. "It almost makes you forget that it's summer vacation," said Fu Xiao, who has been staying in Qujing for the third consecutive summer. "The wind in Qujing is damp and cool, and the sun is bright, but there is no scorching heat."

Fu Xiao and her husband live in an apartment on Hebei Commercial Street in Jianning Subdistrict, Qilin District, Qujing. The monthly rent is a little over 1,000 yuan. The apartment is fully furnished and equipped with appliances, so you can move in immediately. "It's just a few minutes' walk downstairs to the vegetable market, where you can find all kinds of fresh fruits and vegetables at cheap prices," Fu Xiao said.

In Qujing, there are many "migratory bird" tourists like Fu Xiao. Data shows that Qujing's average summer temperature is 19.7 degrees Celsius, and its air quality is consistently good or excellent over 98% of the year. These unique climatic conditions make this "city at the source of the Pearl River" an increasingly popular summer retreat for tourists.

To ensure that visitors from afar can stay comfortably, eat with peace of mind, and have fun, Qujing has launched a series of heartwarming initiatives and created four major service brands: "Home for Migratory Birds," "Canteen for Migratory Birds," "Park for Migratory Birds," and "Station for Migratory Birds."

Fu Xiao got a Qujing "Love and Care Bus Card": "It's very useful!" With this card, tourists over 60 years old can ride city buses for free. Li Ping, deputy director of the Qilin District Culture and Tourism Bureau, introduced that Qilin District has issued more than 30,000 "Love and Care Bus Cards" to tourists seeking respite from the summer heat.

Fu Xiao also praised the "migratory bird canteen." "Summer tourists and local seniors enjoy the same price, and those over 60 get an additional discount. One meat dish and two vegetable dishes cost 10 yuan. It's clean, hygienic, and tastes good too," Fu Xiao said. "Sometimes when I don't feel like cooking, I can just go downstairs and eat, which is especially suitable for us seniors."

In addition, for first-time minor traffic violations by out-of-town vehicles, only warnings are issued without penalty, and some government and public institution parking lots are open to tourists free of charge during peak periods... Many local measures have enhanced the sense of gain for tourists.

Comfortable accommodations and enjoyable travel are essential. "We've built a 'local stage' for tourists from Sichuan and Chongqing seeking respite from the summer heat," said Xiao Siyao, deputy director of the Jianning Subdistrict Office. Currently, there are two art troupes spontaneously formed by tourists from Sichuan and Chongqing, offering unique performances such as Sichuan opera face-changing, folk song medleys, and ethnic dances during the summer. "This allows tourists to entertain themselves and showcase their talents, while also giving local residents a chance to experience diverse cultures up close."

As evening fell, music filled the square. A cool evening breeze blew, and the lights twinkled. People from all over the country met and got to know each other here, filling the air with laughter and joy.

Explore resources and enjoy a cool experience throughout the entire area.

During the summer, Tianchi Lake in the Tianshan Mountains is lush with vegetation and blooming wildflowers. Thanks to its high altitude and dense forests, the average temperature in the mountains is only around 20 degrees Celsius, making it cool and pleasant.

As many parts of China experience high temperatures, more and more tourists are flocking to Xinjiang for a cool getaway. Zhang Fengrui, a tourist from the south, enjoys the refreshing air: "Looking up, you can see snow-capped mountains, and the mountain breeze is so refreshing. It's much more comfortable and pleasant than staying in an air-conditioned room." This summer, the Tianshan Tianchi International Ski Resort in Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang, has introduced a variety of leisure activities such as powered paragliding, hot air ballooning, horseback riding, and archery, creating a one-stop suburban summer resort.

With its vast territory and diverse terrain, Xinjiang boasts unique ecological advantages, connecting grasslands, lakes, valleys, and oases to create high-value, slow-paced, and immersive diverse summer resorts, offering "coolness and beautiful scenery throughout the entire region" across the Tianshan Mountains.

Zhang Hong and his family, tourists from Beijing, are vacationing in Altay. "The children especially love playing on the grass, and the adults enjoy the cool breeze and drink tea. It's very comfortable."

To meet the demand for summer tourism, Altay City has transformed General Mountain Ski Resort from a winter ski resort into a year-round, multi-functional cultural and tourism destination. Activities such as open-air cinemas, sunset parties, bonfire dances, and barbecues, all suitable for summer vacations, allow visitors to fully enjoy the nightlife.

The opening of the Ahe Highway has brought new traffic to summer tourism in Altay, with many tourists choosing to rest in Altay on the first day and then travel along the Ahe Highway to the Kanas Scenic Area on the second day. The Kanas Scenic Area has an average summer temperature of about 20 degrees Celsius, with its lake water as green as jade and Hemu Village shrouded in morning mist, earning it the reputation of "fairyland on earth".

On the shores of Sayram Lake, one can admire the azure waters by day, gaze at a sky full of stars from the window at night, and witness the sunrise over the snow-capped mountains in the early morning; along the Duku Highway, one can experience all four seasons in a single day; at Bosten Lake, one can stroll along the beach and boat on the lake… Newly released data from some online travel platforms shows that this summer, bookings for flights to major destinations in Xinjiang by families have increased by over 38% year-on-year, and the average stay for families on summer vacation trips to Xinjiang has reached more than 7 days, an increase of 1.2 days compared to previous years. (Source: People's Daily)