Domestic tourism soars in China but foreigners stay away
Amidst significant challenges facing the Chinese economy, there’s a glimmer of hope as domestic tourism soars.
During last week’s five-day public holiday celebrating Labour Day, a remarkable 295 million trips were taken within China, as reported by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. This represents a 28% increase compared to pre-pandemic levels recorded in 2019.
The Transport Ministry also revealed astonishing figures: 92 million rail trips, nearly 10 million air trips, and a staggering 1.25 billion highway journeys.
However, while domestic travel thrives, international arrivals continue to lag behind. Foreigners entering China are currently at only 30% of the levels seen in 2019.
Schubert Lou, chief operating officer at travel agency Trip.com, told the BBC: “We’ve seen very strong domestic travel demand with search volumes in hotels up 67% compared to last year, and flight volumes up 80%.”
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