Affluent Chinese tourists are seeking unique and personalized experiences in the US as they have more confidence and flexibility to travel on their own, said tour operators.

"Shooting, hunting and fishing from a luxury yacht are among the most popular activities our customers are pursuing," said Gary Guo, who is based in Los Angeles and runs Do Your Brand Tour. His company helps travelers design tours or add short side trips to their itineraries.

"They are especially interested in shooting firearms because it's not permitted in China," he said. "There are many shooting clubs where tourists have a large selection of different types of firearms and bullets in San Francisco and Los Angeles."

"To Chinese, shooting guns is mysterious. They are curious about it," said Nick Li, a shooting instructor in Los Angeles. "Their curiosity is satisfied when they hold in their hands the firearms they have seen in movies or games, and shoot."

Li got his license two years ago and has been receiving tourists ever since.

"I was advised to combine my own interests and tourism together. It turned out to be good," said Li, who also works as a hunting guide.

Now Li accommodates Chinese tourists every week. "Half of my customers are from China. They know me from tour guides or past customers," he said.

The service is not cheap. A half-day hunting tour usually costs $1,000 per person and a three-day hunting tour by helicopter costs $15,000 per person, according to Guo.

"It is expensive, but those taking such tours are usually rich people either on vacation or on business trips," he said.

Guo said he started the business last May by posting their "customized tour" service on Qunar and Ctrip, the leading travel-booking service websites in China.

"We gave out survey forms to potential customers, asking what they were interested in. Some of them had heard of shooting or hunting activities before they came to the US," he said. "Most of them are looking for something more novel."

As Chinese gain more experience as international tourists they tend to seek new and enjoyable ways to explore the world, explained Guo.

Last year, more than 2 million Chinese people visited the US, a 21 percent rise year-on-year.

liazhu@chinadailyusa.com

(China Daily 10/29/2015 page3)