Malaysia, Vietnam hit as tourists head for East Asia

"The Chinese mainland is one of the major tourist sources for those destinations, and it is estimated that these negative perceptions will last for some time," Yang said.

Ye Xiaoxu, 27, who lives in Tianjin, will visit Singapore this year instead of Malaysia and Thailand.

She said she didn't feel as though she would be welcome in some places, adding, "Anti-China violence doesn't make for an ideal holiday destination".

Yang said a surge in outbound tourists to the United States and European countries may not have resulted from negative impressions of Southeast Asia.

"Many of the tourists heading to American and European destinations are people who have traveled before and are no longer satisfied with their initial overseas experiences," Yang said.

Hu Shunan, a publicity officer at BTG International Travel and Tours, said Chinese arrivals in South Korea and Japan in the first four months of the year had risen by 66 percent year-on-year.

Arrivals from China in Southeast Asia have fallen by 45 percent, he said.

Hu said the short flight time and affordable tour packages are the major reasons for South Korea's popularity.

An eased visa policy has also helped boost the country's popularity, he said, adding that Seoul may follow Jeju Island in introducing a visa-waiver for Chinese visitors.

With some budget airlines starting more frequent and direct flights to destinations in South Korea and Japan, these countries will benefit greatly from Chinese tourists, he said.