HOHHOT, July 21 (Xinhua) -- As passengers disembarked from their two-hour flight from Beijing to Manzhouli, they were greeted by a refreshing breeze from the Hulunbuir Grassland that made many make a loud wow. The city in northeastern Inner Mongolia, which borders Russia, is about 10 degrees Celsius cooler than the capital.

"It feels so comfortable here," said a woman surnamed Liu, breathing in Manzhouli's fresh and cool evening air as she started a week-long trip with her family in Inner Mongolia, a region known for its vast grasslands and forests.

Liu is part of a growing wave of "heat-escaping tourists" -- urban dwellers seeking temporary relief from the hot climate in the country's sweltering cities.

Following the hottest June on record, much of China has entered July under unrelenting heat. Provinces like Shaanxi, Sichuan, Henan, and Hubei have seen temperatures soar past 40 degrees Celsius. In cities such as northwest China's Xi'an and central China's Wuhan, even nighttime low temperatures hovered near 30 degrees Celsius, making the heat an around-the-clock challenge.

In response, many are opting to travel north and west in search of a cooler climate, fueling a sharp increase in demand for so-called "heat-escaping travel."

According to Tianjin Airlines, flights from China's southern and central cities to cooler northern and western destinations are operating at over 90-percent capacity this month.

Data from traveling platforms also echoed the shift. Fliggy noted rising bookings from heat-affected areas to cooler destinations like Kunming, Harbin, Dalian, Lanzhou, and Hohhot, many of which boast daytime highs between 20 degrees Celsius and 28 degrees Celsius, even during the peak of summer.

In Dalian, a coastal city in Liaoning Province, hotels reported robust business. "We expect full bookings every night after July 15," said Huang Binbin, marketing director at Hengli Hotel, adding that the bookings made by travelers from heat-caught cities are rising.

Drawing on long-term data from weather stations across the country, the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) has released 16 "heat-escaping routes" tailored to summer comfort. The routes highlight areas with cool temperatures and low humidity, ranging from the pine forests of Heilongjiang to the highland pastures of Xizang.

Climate resources are a core element of tourism development, said Xiong Shaoyuan, deputy director of the CMA. He noted that transforming meteorological landscapes and climatic endowments into tourism resources is emerging as a new avenue to stimulate regional economies by harnessing ecological advantages.

With an average summer temperature at around 20 degrees Celsius, Inner Mongolia has become a standout heat-escaping destination. The region recently hosted a conference on climate tourism to pool wisdom to make such travels more appealing.

To offer travelers more personalized, diverse, and memorable vacation experiences, summer destinations across the country are broadening their offerings. They're going beyond traditional sightseeing to include immersive experiences focused on wellness, outdoor sports, and ethnic culture.

In northeast China's Jilin Province, a resort at Changbai Mountain has launched a new canyon adventure park featuring glass bridge walks, via ferrata experience and other adrenaline-pumping attractions to woo more young tourists.

Meanwhile, in Erguna, the northernmost city in Inner Mongolia, music festivals set amid golden canola fields and wetland rafting experiences invite visitors to explore nature in refreshing new ways.

"Here is truly a summer retreat," said Wang Qian, who recently spent six days visiting three different cities in Inner Mongolia. "Not just from the heat, but from the hustle of urban life as well." Enditem

(Mao Yuyang, Xu Jiaqi, Yang Siyu, Hong Chuxi, Lyu Jinkai, Yu Shiying and Yu Yiran also contributed to the story.)