BEIJING, May 7 (Xinhua) — Thousands of Chinese vacationers flocked to tourist destinations around the world during the just-ended May Day holiday, demonstrating China’s growing consumption drive.
According to a report by Fliggy, one of China’s leading travel platforms, bookings for travel services by Chinese tourists during the five-day holiday from May 1 to May 5 increased by almost 100, building on last year’s rapid recovery. % increase.
According to the report, the number of overseas hotel reservations increased by about 100% compared to the previous year, and the value of overseas rental car reservations tripled compared to the previous year.
China announced a boom in international cruise travel during the holiday season due to a rapid recovery in cruise ships, with bookings soaring more than 15 times compared to the previous year.
According to data from online travel agency Trip.com Group, Chinese tourists visited about 200 countries and regions around the world during their holidays, covering more than 3,000 cities.
According to the agency, Hong Kong, Macau, Southeast Asian countries, Japan and South Korea were the most popular overseas destinations, while Middle Eastern countries such as Kuwait and Saudi Arabia saw a rapid increase in Chinese tourists.
China’s economic outlook remains positive and the country’s international travel has seen a strong recovery since the start of the year, as policy measures aimed at stimulating consumption are gradually taking effect.
During February’s eight-day Lunar New Year holiday, China’s outbound tourists surged nearly 10 times year-on-year, hitting a recent four-year high, according to Fliggy.
According to the Ctrip Institute, China’s inbound and outbound tourists will enter a fast-track recovery starting with the Chinese New Year, and related supply chain organizations expect the recovery to accelerate.
According to a report by travel platform LY.com, in 2024, Chinese tourists’ outbound travel consumption will become more diverse, and the integration of outbound tourism with concerts, sporting events, and medical needs will become more popular.
The boom in overseas travel is proof of China’s expanding consumption, and is contributing significantly to domestic demand and overall economic growth.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the per capita disposable income of Chinese residents reached 11,539 yuan (approximately 1,625.17 USD) in the first quarter of this year, and per capita consumption expenditure reached 7,299 yuan.
Great Wall Securities analyst Jiang Fei said residents’ enthusiasm for travel and tourism boosted consumption in related industries in the first quarter.
To further unlock the potential of outbound tourism, China signed reciprocal visa-free agreements with several countries this year. The country’s international transport capacity has also increased.
NBS spokesperson Guan Hua emphasized the importance of consumption in stimulating and expanding domestic demand.
“China has an extremely large consumer market with a population of over 1.4 billion people,” Wang said. “The consumption potential is enormous and its resilience is our greatest strength and source of confidence.” ■