Many people will book tables in Chinese restaurants or plan trips to the local China town over the next month.
This is because the Chinese New Year celebrations will be in full swing from January 23rd, but splitting fortune cookies and fiddling with chopsticks seems a fairly tame way to commemorate the Year of the Dragon.
What better way of honouring this important landmark than ditching the local fried seaweed and travelling to China to see how a new year is welcomed in Beijing, Shanghai or Hong Kong?
And it seems more people are becoming inclined to think this, as the number of holidays to China continues to increase.
According to the People’s Daily, the country’s tourism revenue saw double-digit growth in 2011, despite wider pressures caused by the global economy.
The figures released by the China Tourism Academy (CTA) show that the industry generated $364.21 billion (£239.63 billion) last year – 18 per cent higher than in 2010.
Dai Bin, director of the CTA, told the newspaper the strong economic growth in the country was making it more appealing to travellers.
This growth is expected to continue this year, as more people become aware of what China has to offer.
The CTA expects the revenue will increase by a further nine per cent in 2012, as the number of overseas tourists is expected to rise.
People who book now for a China tour later this year can anticipate further improvements to be made. Zhao Huanyan, chief consultant at SAO Hotel Solution Consulting, said he expected the quality of accommodation in key tourism destinations to improve, as more brands looked to acquire property in these areas.
This comes after the State Forestry Administration of China announced that the country will add to its repertoire of natural wonders by creating 68 new national wetlands to sustain the land’s ecosystems.