Xining witnessed a 140 percent increase in car rentals by travelers during the holiday, the most of all the cities nationwide.

RV tours have also been gaining traction in the sparsely populated northwest.

Gansu spans more than 1,600 kilometers from east to west, 400 km more than the distance between Beijing and Shanghai, making it ideal for recreational vehicles. The province hosts over 20 RV campgrounds.

"The RV-rental market has been booming since the summer vacation," says Gansu Guantianxia International Travel Agency's general manager Zhang Shiqi.

The company rents out 140 RVs in Lanzhou and Xining.

Many customers prefer RVs over group tours this year due to COVID-19, Zhang says.

Regions, including Gansu, Qinghai and Xinjiang, are building RV campgrounds and improving services for tourists traveling by RV, he says.

Favorable policies have also been adopted to attract travelers to the northwest.

Xinjiang's 440 top-rated scenic sites waived ticket fees during this year's National Day holiday, and the region has developed a series of distinctive routes for people who drive themselves.

All scenic spots in Gansu's Gannan Tibet autonomous prefecture also offered free admission to visitors during the holiday.

However, per capita spending in most northwestern destinations averages around 500 to 600 yuan, because of fewer shopping facilities and entertainment programs compared with first-tier cities like Beijing and Shanghai.