CHINA. Outbound travel demand has “seen a boom’ following the recent scrapping of COVID-related travel restrictions and the impending resumption of outbound group tours to 20 countries on 6 February, according to Chinese state media Global Times.
Citing online travel booking platform Trip.com, Global Times said outbound air ticket bookings during the first four days of the Spring Festival holidays recorded a fourfold increase year-on-year. Hotel bookings had surged by more than two times.
The title also noted the warm reaction from countries such as the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam as Chinese FIT tourists returned.
Results from online travel platform Fliggy showed bookings of outbound travel-related products to 33 countries/regions had more than doubled year-on-year during the Spring Festival, as of 20 January. Bookings for Thailand, the Maldives and New Zealand (all among the 20 approved countries) have increased more than tenfold year-on-year, the report said.
The report highlighted scenes at airports in the Philippines and Indonesia, where welcome ceremonies greeted inbound travellers. On 24 January, for example, the Philippines Department of Tourism hosted a grand ceremony at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila to welcome nearly 200 Chinese visitors.
“The Philippines is open and ready to welcome our friends from China,” said Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco who graced the occasion along with Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian.
Tourism Sec. Christina Frasco and Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian greet Chinese tourists as they arrive at NAIA 1. China has recently relaxed travel restrictions for their citizens to travel, the Philippines hoping to cash in on that. pic.twitter.com/wvillmaitN
— Raffy Tima (@raffytima) January 24, 2023
Manila-based title GMA News Online quoted Frasco adding, “We anticipate even more Chinese tourists to arrive, which will greatly help us in our efforts to transform and recover the tourism industry as our intention is not only to regain our pre-pandemic numbers but to exceed it, knowing how the relationship between the Philippines and China will only further improve in the years to come with the stance of both our governments.”
The report said that China ranked second to South Korea as a tourist source market in pre-pandemic 2019, accounting for 1.7 million out of a record 8.26 million international visitor arrivals. Last year just 40,000 Chinese passengers arrived in the Philippines.
Global Times said Xiamen Airlines plans to continue to increase flights to Manila, including resuming Quanzhou-Manila flights from mid-to-late February and increase the number of flights from Manila to Xiamen, Southeast China’s Fujian Province in March.
[Quoting the article ]
Local traditional songs and dances welcomed Chinese tourists, and one of them was presented with a flower garland by the governor of Bali, I Wayan Koster.
https://t.co/BQyUTW9ZiY— ℎ 遍历中国 ➫ 杨丕源 (@my1china) January 24, 2023
Bali Ngurah Rai International Airport welcomed the first charter flight of Chinese tourists on Sunday 22 January. Global Times approvingly showed a photo of two young Chinese children interacting with a lion dance performer in the arrivals hall. Visitors were also greeted with traditional local songs and dancing. One tourist was presented with a flower garland by the Governor of Bali, I Wayan Koster.
“I’m convinced Bali tourism will thrive again with the advent of these Chinese tourists. China has been the largest source of tourists to Bali for many years, and the number of Chinese tourists visiting Bali reached as high as 1.4 million,” said Koster.
Vietnam also welcomed Chinese visitors warmly. Global Times reported that every passenger arriving on Monday from Chengdu to Cam Ranh International Airport in Nha Trang received flowers and a red packet of lucky money at the welcome ceremony
Chinese tourists made 155 million outbound international trips in 2019, with consumption abroad exceeding US$133.8 billion, according to the Xinhua News Agency. While 2023 will fall far short of that level, the strong recovery after three traumatic years is being welcomed by travel sector stakeholders all over the world. ✈
