How ‘special forces travelers’ are making – and then breaking – Chinese tourism destinations
The previously nondescript city in the eastern Chinese province of Shandong became one of China’s hottest spots for domestic tourism last year thanks to its affordable and juicy skewered meat.
But by the end of 2023, the craze had largely subsided, with images on social media showing empty barbecue shops.
One neon light sign read: “I know you’ll be back, Zibo. We are waiting for you.”
Zibo, just three hours by train from the capital of Beijing, is one of a number of Chinese cities that have benefited from a flood of local tourists gravitating towards cheap holiday destinations as China’s economy slows.
They’re known as “special forces travelers” because, like soldiers, they move from one checkpoint to another under incredibly tight schedules, often over weekends or short holidays.
These travelers provide an economic lifeline to struggling cities as China grapples with slumping domestic consumption and waits for a recovery in foreign tourist numbers.
China recorded 35.5 million visits from foreign nationals in 2023, just 36% of the 97.7 million who came in 2019, according to the National Immigration Administration. For the first half of this year, 29.22 million foreign nationals entered and exited, according to the latest figures.
But the flash-mob-style approach of “special forces travelers” – switching from one community to the next – has called into question whether that type of domestic tourism is sustainable in the long term.
Weekend trippers
Chinese tourists used to splurge on luxury brands and high-end experiences overseas.
But an uncertain future plagued by a property crisis, declining foreign investment and a grim employment outlook made travelers think twice about expensive trips abroad.
Instead, some tourists have turned to budget locations for the past year, particularly those within easy commutes from major cities.
University graduate Cici Li Yuetong, 23, counts herself as one of them.
“‘Special forces-style’ travel on weekends is very popular now, especially among college students,” she said.
Mostly young, they are always on the lookout for cheap domestic trips, with the goal of spending as little as possible to visit as many places as they can.
Li said she travels to places recommended on the Chinese popular social media platform Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book), an app much like Instagram and TikTok, where millions of Chinese people share and read travel tips.
Travelers tend to look for a place within three hours of major cities by speed rail and somewhere with local specialties, like Zibo’s barbecue grills.
“These places have cheaper prices for both dining and hangouts, and the cost of going to these cities for food is also within the affordable range of most people, so naturally there is an impulse and confidence to go for a majority of the public,” Li said.
Pan Wenbo, also from Beijing, said his favorite spots included Xi’an, home of the Terracotta Warriors, and Datong, a northern Chinese city known for ancient Buddhist architecture - both offering more affordable accommodation and food.
He said this style of travel has gained traction also because he and his colleagues get limited holidays.
“Weekends are a good choice for travel,” he said. “The transportation is convenient, the time is short, and there are cities worth exploring. Why not?”
Beware the short-term boom
These days, local tourists have been flocking to Tianshui, in the northwestern province of Gansu, one of China’s poorest areas.
The city shot to fame earlier this year because of its malatang - spicy soup - made with a dried pepper grown in the region.
Money poured in across the country as investors capitalized on the fad by opening Tianshui-syle restaurants nationwide.
However some restaurants have started closing as interest in the delicacy wanes, according to state-affiliated press.
The topic #TianshuiMalatangisstillclosingdowninbatches has been searched by more than 68 million people on Chinese social media site Weibo since the start of this month.
Zibo, too, is feeling the hangover from its mini tourism boom.
A Zibo shop owner who identified herself as “Miss Yang” told CNN that the number of tourists visiting during the Labor Day holiday in May had noticeably dwindled from earlier peaks, with some shops forced to shut.
“The closing ones are the newly-opened ones. We, as the old ones, stayed and there’re many people coming to us,” said Yang.
Tourism professor Mimi Li from Hong Kong Polytechnic University said a sudden influx of tourists can bring economic benefits to smaller destinations, just like mass events such as the Olympics or World Expo boost investment in larger cities.
However, she said that in many cities it’s only “a one-time thing,” as there is only so much appetite for barbecues or certain spicy dishes.
Li said authorities should educate small business owners about the risks of irrational investment and use the windfall to reinvent themselves.
“The government should get prepared that the level of tourism will be back to normal. It’s a good opportunity to diversify their tourism products and offerings,” she said.
After experiencing a surge in popularity, Zibo's barbecue shops are now noticeably empty during off-peak times, indicating a decline in domestic tourism. This trend is a consequence of the economic struggles faced by many Chinese cities, as they rely on "special forces travelers" for revenue.
University graduate Cici Li Yuetong chose to participate in the "special forces-style" travel trend, exploring budget-friendly destinations within easy reach of major cities. She relies on recommendations from the Xiaohongshu app to find affordable dining and accommodations.
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