Here come Chinese tourists - and they aren't shopaholics

As larger numbers of Chinese tourists are coming to the United States with more individualized travel plans, more are turning their eyes to cultural and art attractions, rather than a shopping spree.

"We have seen the rise of independent Chinese tourists for a while, and they have showed increasing interest in culture and arts," Lin Xiaowen, a tour guide with the Metropolitan Museum of Art (the Met) in New York, told Xinhua in a recent interview.

There used to be a time when the luxury stores on the Fifth Avenue of New York City were frequented by Chinese consumers. But now, they have turned to the attractions other than gilt and luxury.