From China Daily.

Family tourism is becoming more popular in China, and South Africa is targeting this growing market by promoting vacations that feature wild animals and lodges, according to a report in China Daily.

Four Chinese travel agencies are participating in a three-month program with the goal of attracting more than 1,000 Chinese families to South Africa between August and October, the report says.

Offering parent-child activities is important for family tourism, industry experts say in the report. But a wide range of activities means higher tour costs and higher traveler fees, said Li Meng, deputy director of the outbound department of China International Tourism Service Ltd.

China International Tourism and China Youth Travel Service are among the Chinese travel agencies participating in the South Africa tourism promotion.

Chinese families that traveled in 2012 spent a record $1,820 each, according to figures from the Huakun Women’s Life Survey Center, the report says.

Chinese family tourism has expanded as the Chinese economy has developed, according to the center’s survey data. Data shows that 48.6 percent of Chinese families traveled together in 2012 and 59.7 percent of families surveyed have travel plans for 2013.

As Chinese residents pay more attention to tourism, their demands are rising, Li said.

The summer and winter vacation seasons are peak family travel times in China, the report says.