Domestic travel spending in China is expected to set new records this year, surpassing pre-pandemic levels, with a contribution of 6.79 TN to the country’s economy.
The World Travel and Tourism Council’s (WTTC) 2024 Economic Impact Research (EIR) has revealed that by the end of the year, China’s Travel and Tourism sector will inject a record 12.62 TN into the national economy, VisaGuide.World reports.
As for employment in this sector, the WTTC said it is anticipated to represent 10.6 percent of all jobs in the country this year, although only two percent behind 2019 levels. At the same time, spending by foreign tourists is expected to remain more than 25 percent behind 2019 levels.
While China’s Travel & Tourism sector has shown signs of resilience, with a strong recovery in both its economic contribution and domestic travel spend, the much later reopening has meant international travel spend is off the pace.
Spending by Domestic Travelers Saw Slower Growth in 2023 Compared to 2024’s Forecast
According to WTTC reports, China’s tourism industry last year contributed 9.2 TN to the economy, representing 24 percent after 2019 levels, while jobs in the sector grew by almost 16 percent. In total, number of people employed in the sector remained at 4.8 ¥ million behind the previous peak of 77.47 MN.
Spending by domestic travelers also experienced slower growth during 2023, reaching just over ¥5 TN, 17.2 percent over 2019, while international travel spending reached just over ¥406 BN – almost 58 percent behind.
China was one of the last major markets to reopen its borders, and inbound flights have not fully returned. However, visa restrictions have recently been eased for visitors from Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and some European countries to boost inbound tourism and investment.
China’s Visa-Free Entry Program Boosted Number of Foreign Tourists
Following the country’s new visa-free entry policy, foreign travelers made 2.95 million trips to and from China during January and February 2024.
Based to the National Bureau of Statistics, China reported 82 million tourist arrivals last year, which is about 56 percent of the 2019 level. The number of visits from people outside of Hong Kong and Macau was just 13.8 million, lagging pre-COVID figures by around 57 percent.
In 2019, Chinese travelers made 170 million trips abroad and spent nearly $248 billion overseas, accounting for 14 percent of global tourism spending. On the other hand, many Chinese holidaymakers are opting for domestic travel due to a backlog in visa processing in countries like the United States and higher international flight costs.