With the inclusion of 40 more countries to the list of international travel destinations, including Nepal, Vietnam, Iran, France, Spain, Italy, Greece, and Brazil, China's outbound tourism is rebounding quickly. Public interest in outbound travel has increased as a result of the restoration of international aviation routes, and this trend is expected to continue.
154 million Chinese tourists traveled abroad in 2019. This year it is expected that 18 million Chinese will travel abroad in the first half of the year and another 40 million in the second part of the year, which still represent figures much lower than those prior to the pandemic.
Airline Progress to Resume International Flight Routes
Airlines have accelerated the process of resuming international flying routes. From Haikou to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Area, Phnom Penh, Bangkok, and Singapore, regular routes have been reinstated at Haikou Melian International Airport. The airport had carried 20,916 passengers on 177 flights as of March 13. Beginning on March 26, a new flight season will begin in China's civil aviation industry. Another 20 international flight routes to South Korea, the Netherlands, Russia, Uzbekistan, the United Arab Emirates, and other countries are expected to increase at Beijing Daxing International Airport.
Loosened Entry Restrictions for Chinese Tourists
Many countries aspire to increase economic growth through tourism, and China is a key consumer in the outbound tourism sector. Almost 40 countries have relaxed their admission requirements for Chinese tourists since January. Vietnamese airlines have prepared for a significant influx of Chinese tourists, particularly over the next summer. The next May Day holiday and summer may witness a dramatic increase in outbound Chinese travel, according to Cheng Chaogong of Ctrip.
China Resuming Group Trips to 40 More Nations and Regions
According to a statement released by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, China has resumed outbound group tours to an additional 40 countries and regions, bringing the total number of outbound group tour destinations to 60. Once the COVID-19 control restrictions were lifted on February 6, China started cross-border group tours to the first batch of 20 countries and regions. This is the second batch of group tours in the country's pilot program for outbound group tours.
Group Tour Goods May Be Sold and Promoted by Travel Agents and Portals
To these 40 destinations, travel agencies and portals are permitted to sell and promote group tour items, including lodging and airfare. The travel industry benefits from the progressive reopening of the outbound tourism market. The number of visa enquiries for relevant countries climbed by more than four times, and the click-through rate of the outbound tourism-related pages on the Tongcheng Travel website increased by 77%.
The Main Destinations for Chinese travelers
Within the Asia-Pacific region, Vietnam, Thailand, Japan, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Cambodia and Macao are the main countries chosen, while in Europe Germany and France stand out.
Expected Surge in Outbound Tourism Market
The cost of outbound flights from China has continued to drop as a result of the increase in international flights, and it is expected that the outbound tourism sector will boom during the May Day holiday and China's summer vacation. The second batch of countries includes Nepal, Brunei, Vietnam, Mongolia, Iran, Jordan, Tanzania, Namibia, Mauritius, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Senegal, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Serbia, Croatia, France, Greece, Spain, Iceland, Albania, Italy, Denmark, Portugal, Slovenia, Vanuatu, Tonga, Samoa, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, Panama, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Dominica, and the Bahamas.