The growth rate is significant, and most educational tours last two to five days, says Miao Qing, deputy general manager of Huana International Travel Service, based in East China's Shandong province.

The province's destinations featuring Confucius and Yellow River elements are popular, Miao says.

Beijing, Shaanxi province's capital, Xi'an, and Jiangsu province's capital, Nanjing, are among the most alluring destinations, Miao adds.

Educational tours proved a hit during the recent May Day holiday from May 1 to 5.

Lin Guodong from Shanghai recently made his third trip to North China's Shanxi province to see ancient buildings. The province boasts several Tang Dynasty (618-907) wooden structures, and more than 500 wooden structures from the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) or earlier.

"I have loved history since I was a kid. Compared to reading, educational tours allow me to experience ancient architecture in a multidimensional way and systematize my historical knowledge," Lin says.

He is among a growing number of travelers who take a special shine to historical architecture and have trekked long distances to see them up close.

During the May Day holiday, Yingxian county in the north of Shanxi packed in travelers, who were drawn to its famous wooden pagoda that boasts a history of nearly 1,000 years. The county saw homestay bookings surge by 180 percent year-on-year during the period, the online service platform Meituan reports.