APEX Insight: Lung-cleansing trips have become increasingly popular in recent months, prompting Ctrip International to publish a report titled “Smog Escape Travel Ranking,” which speculates that over 150,000 Chinese travelers went on holidays intentionally to escape smog and air pollution in December 2016.

Many of China’s cities issued health alerts at the beginning of 2017, warning residents they were suffering pollution levels above the World Health Organization’s safe level. Unfortunately the problem does not seem to be letting up, with recent sandstorms in Beijing making smog even worse. This environmental reality is causing a surge of Chinese residents to seek out lung-cleansing holidays to give their bodies, as well as their minds, a break.

Last year, the China Outbound Tourism Research Institute named Chinese tourists the biggest international spenders on foreign travel. The top destinations for Chinese travelers in 2016, according to Jing Travel, puts Hong Kong at number one but notes it is quickly falling in popularity as international flights and increasing numbers of new airports allow passengers to travel further, more easily and affordably.

Trips for the purpose of avoiding smog have become increasingly popular in 2017, prompting Ctrip International, a leading Chinese provider of travel services, to publish a report titled, “Smog Escape Travel Ranking.” This report cited the Seychelles, Maldives and Iceland as destinations with the freshest air. The report also speculated that in December 2016, over 150,000 Chinese travelers went on holidays intentionally to escape smog and air pollution. The desire for “clean air” or “lung-cleansing” holidays is also creating niche tourism opportunities in Canada and parts of the United States.

With the rising popularity of medical and wellness tourism, it’s no surprise that holidaymakers are seeking getaways with health benefits. As pollution and smog continue to be an issue in parts of Asia, destinations boasting fresh, clean air become increasingly appealing, adding yet another opportunity for travel marketers to hone in on this niche market. Travel destinations now find themselves vying for rankings in cleanest air, in addition to traditional vacation highlights.