LANZHOU, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Watching the stars while lying in a tent hotel or sitting under a large outdoor shade and sipping coffee certainly sounds like a thrilling treat. Chinese travelers are savoring such experiences, as glamping has emerged as a new vacation trend.

During this year's National Day Golden Week holiday, Zhao Yue from Beijing joined her friends for a vacation in a camping pitch in the scenic Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Gannan located in northwest China's Gansu Province.

Nestled at an average altitude of 3,000 meters, a vast plateau grassland there offers a perfect retreat in nature's embrace. The site has a row of camping tents as well as steel-framed tents with Tibetan-style decorations and modern facilities, offering urbanites like Zhao a fusion of tradition and luxury.

"The hotel is where stunning nature meets modern luxury, and spending a night there, surrounded by mountains, was like living in the natural wilderness," Zhao said.

Although a room costs at least 1,000 yuan (about 157 U.S. dollars), Zhao cherished the opportunity to relax in the natural environment.

Such tent hotels that are built in forests, valleys, on the grassland, or along rivers are increasingly gaining popularity among Chinese tourists. Many travelers also prefer to set up their own tents on campgrounds by taking equipment for rent.

This fascinating new vacation trend features camping with basic amenities and, in some cases, resort-style services.

Unlike traditional camping, glamping is a quest for escapism with the adventure recreation of camping.

Chen Xin who has worked in the tourism sector for years said that the new trend of leisure helps relieve the pressure of urbanites by inducing a sense of calmness as one embraces nature and enjoys life.

She added that many tourists come to glamping destinations and do nothing but relax.

"Everything is about efficiency in Beijing while time seemed to have slowed down when I spent the vacation at the tent hotel," said Zhao, adding that it was an escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.

On Xiaohongshu, an Instagram-like Chinese fashion and lifestyle-sharing platform, the number of posts featuring camping has topped 540,000, showing enthusiasm among people for an exquisite lifestyle and aesthetics.

Experts believe that glamping has gained popularity, particularly during the epidemic. According to a report released by travel website Mafengwo.com, as restrictions on outbound tourism have not been lifted yet, a large number of young tourists with strong consumption capacity and demand for quality vacation manage to explore domestic tourist sites in an exquisite way such as glamping.

More tourists prefer outdoor activities at sparsely populated places, which also serves epidemic control measures, said Chen.

The convenient infrastructure including highway and modern facilities of tent hotels provides fertile ground for glamping.

This year, Chen said she invested in an outdoor camping site project in a village in Gannan's Xiahe County.

In addition to savoring an immersive experience, visitors will also be able to learn about the importance of ecological protection, Zhao added. Enditem