Hello TWOC readers!

What do spicy hot pot, public exercise equipment, and barbecue restaurants have in common? They have all risen to viral internet fame in China and attracted hordes of tourists to previously unknown destinations. Viral travel trends and more in this month’s newsletter.

Read on to know more about:

• How the city of Zibo broke the curse of short-lived online virality
• Why crowd-averse “reverse” travelers are struggling to find middle ground in China
• How the decline of softshell turtle meat consumption is affecting southern China’s turtle farmers

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Barbe-Queue Again: How Zibo Broke the Curse of Short-Lived Virality

In Zibo, Shandong province, we investigate how a once obscure city keeps attracting visitors one year after its barbecue restaurants blew up online. Read more

The Quest for Quiet: Can “Reverse Travel” Save China’s Tourists From Holiday Crowds?

However, not everyone is so enthusiastic about China’s travel fads. We spoke to “reverse” travelers who vacation in remote locations to avoid crowds—but still rely on social media for recommendations. Read more

Bye Bye Bie: Behind Southern China’s Vanishing Turtle Farms

Meanwhile, business is slow in the turtle industry.  As the coastal town of Humen urbanizes, the softshell turtle industry, which boomed in the 1990s, is losing its appeal. Read more

What We’re Playing

Outpost: Infinity Siege (Team Ranger)

An ambitious blend of first-person shooter, tower defense, and base-building, Outpost: Infinity Siege sees players command a futuristic mobile outpost and fight off massive waves of robots. The game features smooth, satisfying combat and cooperative gameplay, but was released with an incomplete main campaign. Players have expressed frustration with an inconsistent loot system and a steep difficulty curve that disrupts progression, marring the overall experience of an otherwise promising game.

Increasingly frustrated by their career prospects, China’s workers are likening themselves to various animals, such as monkeys and capybaras, to blow off steam! Discover new slang and up your Chinese game with our latest language column.