[Photo provided to China Daily]

Most agencies arrange suburban hotels to cut costs, forcing tourists to spend more time in transit to sites, he says.

"They may have no choice but to stay in all night, since there isn't much to do in the middle of nowhere," he says.

Brilliant Travel claims its hotel options are based purely on local ratings and adjacency to ports of call.

Zhang wants to change the mindset of many Chinese, who believe they should pack in every attraction at a destination in one visit.

Zhang entered the sector in 2003 and established his custom-made travel business targeting the affluent in 2013.

"More customers need in-depth visiting and dining experiences," he says.

They're tired of "conventional and bland" sites crowded with holiday visitors.