Wanderlust unleashed after restrictions eased
Chinese tourists have shown their enthusiasm to once again venture overseas after the government eased COVID-19 restrictions on international travel on Sunday. Singapore and Thailand have become hot overseas tourist destinations, and the return of Chinese tourists will bring new vitality to the global tourism market, experts said.
Beginning Sunday, quarantine-free cross-border travel resumed in China after nearly three years of restrictions.
The volume of international flight tickets booked for travel on Sunday surged 628 percent year-on-year, hitting a level not seen since March 2020, and the booking volumes of outbound and inbound flights each accounted for half of the total, according to Tongcheng Travel, a Suzhou-based online travel agency.
For the period from Sunday to Spring Festival, which falls on Jan 22 this year, many Chinese residing overseas have shown demand to reunite with family members, and the trend has boosted sales of inbound flight tickets.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Chinese mainland started to allow quarantine-free cross-border trips, and Hong Kong became the top departure city for inbound travelers on Sunday. Main destinations include Shanghai; Guangzhou, Guangdong province; and Chengdu, Sichuan province, said Tongcheng Travel.
This year, China's outbound tourism market is expected to rebound significantly, the China Tourism Academy said. For overseas hotel bookings, cities such as Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Thailand's Chiang Mai and Koh Samui, as well as Milan, Italy have already seen an apparent increase of hotel bookings by Chinese travelers, said Trip.com Group.
Since China relaxed COVID-19 curbs on international travel, multiple tourism bureaus from different countries have expressed their welcome to Chinese tourists. The Tourism Authority of Thailand expects that this year, some 5 million Chinese tourists are likely to visit Thailand, while the number stood at 274,000 in 2022.
Since Dec 27, among Chinese tourists booking overseas hotel stays longer than 20 days, hotel bookings in Thailand made up 44 percent of the total, and taking a long vacation has become the choice for many travelers to Thailand, according to Trip.com.
Abu Dhabi's tourism bureau said it has been actively preparing for the China market's reopening over the past two years, and is looking forward to welcoming Chinese visitors to the Mideast country.
"China has always been a key market for Abu Dhabi. In 2023, we will be focusing on key segments including couples and families interested in culture, luxury, new experiences and family entertainment. We will also continue to grow awareness among Chinese audiences," said Abdulla Yousuf Mohammad, director of Travel Trade and Market Development at the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi.
South African Tourism said the country keenly looks forward to the return of Chinese tourists. China has been a key source market for inbound tourists to South Africa, and it boasts a huge growth potential.
In December, Air China launched flights connecting Beijing, Johannesburg and Chengdu, Sichuan province, and it is the carrier's first direct flight launched between South Africa and Southwest China.
"The return of Chinese tourists is to be expected for destinations globally. It is expected to give a boost to the Asian travel market in particular. Chinese travelers are likely to rebuild their travel and spending confidence," said Shen Jiani, a senior researcher at Trip.com's research institute.
Related articles
Subway commuters in Buenos Aires see fares spike by 360% as part of austerity campaign in Argentina
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Commuters in Buenos Aires on Friday were hit by an abrupt 360% increa2024-05-19Democrats clear path to bring proposed repeal of Arizona’s near
PHOENIX (AP) — Democrats in the Arizona Senate cleared a path to bring a proposed repeal of the stat2024-05-19Caitlin Clark looks like a natural as Indiana Fever introduce WNBA's top draft pick
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — When Caitlin Clark walked to the dais Wednesday in Indianapolis, she looked like2024-05-19Air National Guard changes in Alaska could affect national security, civilian rescues, staffers say
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Kristin Paniptchuk’s water broke on Christmas Eve at her home in the wester2024-05-19Death toll from Kenya floods climbs to 277 as schools reopen amid recovery efforts
Students attend a class at a school in the Mathare slums in Nairobi, Kenya, on May 13, 2024. [Photo/2024-05-19Eye on the ball! King Felipe of Spain and King Willem
King Felipe of Spain and King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands dared to show their sporty sides t2024-05-19
atest comment