True! I took a 40-day trip, visited two US cities, four Chinese cities, and two Japanese cities in May and June. I saw huge numbers of domestic travelers (not in high season yet at the time) at airports and train stations in all the Chinese cities I visited, including Chengdu. People seem to have lots of money to spend on travel, recreation, and entertainment. There is a huge contrast between Chinese cities and US cities in terms of infrastructure and city vibe. Even in the streets of Tokyo and Osaka, I saw quite a number of Chinese tourists: groups and individuals (most are young people or young families). I met several foreign tourist groups in the hotels and streets in China. Noticeably, not many English-speaking group tourists were in China. When I met two groups of English-speaking tourists, I curiously asked them and then knew they were both from Australia.
What is my impression of this trip? Very simple: We Fxxked.
