May is probably the best time to go on a tour as it's not a peak time. Also, after the Labor Day holiday, prices of tour itineraries drop a bit and there are fewer travelers during this time.

According to Tuniu.com, a tourism website, prices of most tour itineraries fall to their normal level. For example, group tour prices from Beijing to popular destinations such as Sanya, Lijiang and Guilin all decrease because of lower flight and hotel costs.

The website said prices will increase in summer again, so it's best to start one's journey before the busy season if you want to visit Europe and the United States. It's also the best time to visit islands in Southeast Asia, as most Western tourists have left and there is plenty of time until summer, which is the peak season for Chinese travelers and also the typhoon season.

As the third China Tourism Day is on May 19, which happens to be Sunday, many scenic spots will organize colorful activities and offer many discounts. For example, one has to pay only half the price to visit the famous Wudangshan Mountains in Hubei province on that day.