Published on : Friday, August 24, 2018
Most of these tourists visited Asia, travelling to Hong Kong, Macau, Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia, according to data by the China Tourism Academy (CTA), which is an official research institute under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Ctrip said that the sharp increase in tourist trips out of mainland China could be due to preferential visa policies adopted by other countries and more direct international flights from second- and third-tier Chinese cities.
“There has been a remarkable surge in international flights and visa service centres opening in China’s second- and third-tier cities. Residents are now finding it increasingly convenient to travel abroad,” said Leon Peng, the director of Ctrip’s vacation department.
Popular destinations like Australia, Britain, Canada and the United States have made their travel visa policies for Chinese-passport holders in recent years much flexible.
The dynamic growth in China’s outbound travel sector also came against the backdrop of rapid income and consumption growth, with Chinese people earning more and seeking an abundance of travel opportunities.
“Buoyed by all these factors, China’s outbound tourism is expected to maintain its fast development,” Peng said.
The top 10 countries and regions that attracted the most number of mainland Chinese visitors in the first half of the year were Hong Kong, Macau, Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan and the US. Especailly, Hong Kong and Macau saw huge increases in the number of mainland Chinese tourists from January to June.
They accounted for a significant share – 45.9 per cent – of the total outbound market, according to Christopher Ledsham, CTA’s chief communications officer.
Other regions that saw significantly more Chinese visitors included South Korea, with a 52 per cent increase in the first six months.
Tags: Chinese tourists