US is most popular destination for Chinese travelers

Chinese tourists pose for photographs in front of a 7.4-meter-long great white shark replica in Sydney Harbour in Nov, 2014. [Photo by Greg Wood / for China Daily]

The US has, for the first time, been voted the top destination for Chinese tourists, followed by Australia, Singapore, New Zealand and Italy, according to a report.

With its urban image, local transportation, Chinese-friendly services and ever improving visa application process, more Chinese tend to spend their vacation there, said Dai Bin, head of the China Tourism Academy.

According to the report, Chinese travelers are more satisfied with outbound destinations this year compared to the same period in 2014.

While Singapore, Japan and South Korea are the top three short-haul destinations, the US, Australia and New Zealand are the most popular in the long-haul category compared with Brazil, Argentina and South Africa.

The US has long received positive feedback from Chinese travelers, but being named the most satisfactory destination for the first time has a lot to do with the China-US agreement on a reciprocal 10-year visa that allows multiple entries for tourists and businessmen and gives students of both countries five-year visas.

Easier visa application will result in more Chinese heading to the US for vacations despite the distance, said Vivian Hong，president of US-based travel information website Travelzoo Inc.

Other popular destinations include Germany, Canada, France, Great Britain, Malaysia, Russia, Thailand and Spain, said the report.