The pandemic hit the tourism scene hard, especially for China’s globe-trotters. But guess what? There’s a spark of hope as Chinese tourists are gearing up to hit the road once more.
As per the buzz on Vietnam Express, the inbound and outbound tourism scene from China is about to get a boost in 2024. The China Tourism Academy predicts a whopping 264 million trips this year, bringing in a cool USD 107 billion in international tourism revenue.
Check this out: Recent data from Tuniu Travel shows a big jump in group holiday bookings by Chinese tourists during the Chinese New Year, giving a thumbs-up to travel enthusiasts.
Wondering where these spirited travelers are heading? Popular spots include Thailand, Singapore, Maldives, Russia, New Zealand, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Nordic countries.
The revival started showing its face towards the end of 2023, with the number of scheduled international passenger flights hitting nearly 4,800 flights per week. That’s a robust 63% of the pre-pandemic level, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China.
Wolfgang, the brains behind the Tourism Research Institute, says, “China is likely to regain its title as the world’s largest outbound tourism market this year.”
Flashback to 2019 – Chinese tourists clocked in at 155 million outbound visits, splurging a whopping USD 255 billion. That’s an average spend of around USD 1,350 per Chinese tourist. Fast forward to the pandemic, China closed its borders for nearly three years, putting a damper on the world’s largest outbound tourism market for several Southeast Asian countries.
But here’s the comeback! Get ready for the Chinese to once again claim their title as the wanderlust champions of the world. Let the adventures begin!