Online excitement

The emergence of "internet celebrity" cities reflects deeper shifts in the country's cultural and tourism consumption patterns, highlighting a growing demand for immersive, experiential and interactive tourism, experts said.

Sun Jiuxia, a professor at the School of Tourism Management of Sun Yat-sen University, said people no longer seek just traditional tourist destinations, but also authentic cultural practices they can participate in.

"In Tianshui, for example, tourists come to sample the local dishes such as its famed malatang, which is so popular that one vendor's tired expression, overwhelmed by customer demand, has gone viral," she said.

Sun said the key to success for the "internet celebrity" cities lies in their ability to develop a distinctive identity, which requires them to offer something that cannot be replicated elsewhere.

The rise of "internet celebrity" cities is also triggering a fundamental shift in urban governance and destination management. When something about a city's culture goes viral, its administration must be ready to handle the ensuing popularity and cash in on it, she added.

Jiang Yiyi, deputy dean of the sport, leisure and tourism school of Beijing Sport University, said that improving tourism infrastructure and services should be the first priority, as quality tourism services are key to propelling the industry's high-quality development.

Harbin's promotion, for example, has been successful not only because of its ice and snow show, but also its welcoming and thoughtful services, which show its concern for tourists, she said. "However, if cultural tourism departments and travel agencies believe they can replicate the success of Harbin by blindly following its promotional methods, they are wrong," Jiang said.

She suggested that cities identify their tourism advantages, focus on their unique selling points and develop branded cultural tourism products to attract more visitors.

Zhu Xingxin in Taiyuan and Ma Jingna in Lanzhou contributed to this story.

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