Many citizens in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, like to choose those places with comparatively warm or hot weather to spend traditional Chinese Spring Festival holiday.

China's southermost province of Hainan located in torrid zone is the favorite destination for tourists from Chengdu, sources from main travel agencies in the city told Xinhua.

Some residents from Chengdu even go to Southeast Asian countries including Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand for their week-long Lunar New Year holiday beginning on January 29, the sources said.

There are at least four charter flights from Chengdu to Southeast Asia during the Spring Festival holiday this year, compared with only one during the same period of last year.

In addition, more than 500 tourists from Chengdu decided to go to Australia to spend their holiday.
 
(Xinhua News Agency February 3, 2006)