Chinese tourists wait to board a boat at a pier at Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, Thailand, on Oct 3.[Photo/Agencies]

While tour operators suffered, arrivals overall were up 4.8 percent compared to a year ago, reflecting a growing trend toward independent travel.

"The mainland tour group operators still suffer ... but overall it is good," Tung says.

Thailand had expected a 30 percent rise in Chinese visitors from last year, despite fears of the Zika virus, higher visa fees and a spate of bombings in the country's south.

But tour operators reported a sharp drop in numbers this week after a police crackdown on Thai operators of cheap package tours, dimming prospects for a key sector in a weak economy.

Travel experts say a new generation of Chinese travelers is more adventurous and wants to experience a new culture.

"The younger ones go out and are a lot more experimental. They do not have the inhibitions of their parents," says Amrita Banta, managing director at Agility Research and Strategy, based in Singapore.

Morocco, with its beaches, historic bazaars and mosques, has become the new hot spot, Banta says. The China Travel Academy says Morocco had seen a tripling of tourists from China since May after the North African country removed visa restrictions last year.

The Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan and Mexico's ancient ruins were also expected to be top destinations during the week, while 30 percent of visitors to Cambodia's famed Angkor heritage site have come from China this year.

The plunge in sterling, which hit a fresh three-decade low on Friday, has only added to Britain's appeal.

"The UK is around a 10 percent better value than it was this time last year. As a result we have seen really strong growth from China," Visit-Britain director of marketing Robin Johnson says.

"They (Chinese visitors) are now in the top 10 most valuable inbound markets for tourism for the UK for the first time ever, which would have been unthinkable a decade ago. The growth has been absolutely outstanding."