SHENYANG, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- On a recent weekend, Dong Sihan from Beijing decided to forgo a holiday in a popular major city and instead opted for an in-depth museum tour in Chaoyang City, northeast China's Liaoning Province.

From dinosaur fossils dating back hundreds of millions of years to "jade pig-dragon," a specific type of jade artifact originating from the Hongshan culture dating back roughly 5,000 to 6,000 years, the glorious history and culture of Chaoyang are meticulously preserved in museums of all sizes dotted across the city.

This year, Chaoyang has launched museum-themed tourist routes centered around immersive experiences such as the "Cretaceous Treasure Hunt" and cultural tours, which have been a hit with sightseers from Beijing, Hebei and other parts of the country.

"Our whole family has a great passion for history and culture," Dong said. "We've already been to Shanxi for a tour of its ancient architecture, and traveled to Shaanxi to explore its cultural relics."

"As growing numbers of travelers seek personalized and in-depth experiences, China's domestic tourism market is becoming increasingly segmented," said Wang Xiaoyu, a specially appointed expert of the World Tourism Cities Federation.

"Unique cultural symbols -- whether museums, snowscapes, ceramics, or ancient architecture -- can all be leveraged to create specialized attractions for specific tourist groups," Wang added.

For global travelers, China is shifting from a once-in-a-lifetime must-visit destination to a modern, diverse, and dynamic spot that is worth visiting time and time again.

Yiwu City in east China's Zhejiang Province, known as "the world's supermarket," has cultivated a unique form of shopping-based tourism, capitalizing on its wholesale market appeal. It has gained popularity among Chinese tourists and is increasingly a gateway for international visitors seeking an authentic China experience.

Data shows Yiwu hotels hosted 11,400 foreign guests during the eight-day National Day holiday this month, up 37.62 percent from the year earlier level.

Beyond China's continuously optimized visa-free policies, local governments are capitalizing on differentiated competition by strategically planning and developing unique tourism industries to attract foreign tourists.

For instance, leveraging international social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, Chinese cities are now directly showcasing their unique appeal to targeted global communities with shared interests.

Jingdezhen, an eastern Chinese city famed as the world's "porcelain capital," has launched multiple accounts on overseas social media platforms. It has invited foreign social media influencers to co-create content, sharing their daily lives in the city and promoting Chinese ceramic art and culture.

During the National Day holiday, Jingdezhen launched a "ceramic heritage tour" route. Designed for inbound tourists, it guided them through cultural sites of the porcelain industry and into major museums for an immersive experience of the historical depth of ceramic culture. Many visitors also tried out production processes like clay throwing and ceramic painting.

"Jingdezhen has a highly enriched cultural atmosphere. Both the stall owners and the tourists are filled with a passion for art, and you can feel a powerful, infectious creative energy here," said Asatsuki, a tourist who previously worked as an artist in Japan and Britain.

Furthermore, to enhance their international appeal, local authorities are no longer limiting their approach to developing distinctive tourism based on historical culture and industrial economy. Instead, they are expanding into emerging sectors such as outdoor adventure and exploring interest-based experiences.

Building on its abundant archipelago resources, Changhai County in Dalian of Liaoning, has hosted large-scale sea fishing competitions and introduced China's first dedicated fishing service mini-program. This initiative has turned it into a hotspot for international anglers, with groups from Russia, Egypt, Spain, Italy and Hungary already arriving for trips this year.

Liaoning's capital Shenyang, renowned for its barbecue and Northeastern Chinese cuisine, has been vigorously developing its culinary tourism in recent years. The city has launched a "Taste of Shenyang" food map and an international version of its travel guide, which systematically consolidates a wide range of authentic local food resources to provide inbound tourists with a one-stop travel strategy.

Following an immersive food journey in Shenyang this August, Hiroto Uchida from Japan said, "I love Shenyang's food so much. Every bite is bursting with flavor. The deliciousness here is worth the trip for everyone to come and taste for themselves." ■