Asia becomes a vibrant tourism market after Covid-19 pandemic

Western travelers are flocking to Asia. The number of American trips to Asia doubled by 2023.

Indian tourists are considered potential customers of the Asian tourism industry. In the photo: A group of Indian tourists visiting Vietnam. (Source: Vietravel)

Global tourism is recovering strongly from the Covid-19 pandemic. By 2024, the number of international trips is expected to exceed 2019 levels.

According to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), tourist spending is also forecast to exceed 2019 levels. The cruise industry is also recovering strongly.

The resurgence of tourism has sparked protests in Western hotspots like Barcelona and Majorca, but hoteliers and travel agents say the real market is in the East – meaning Asia.

Tourism in Asia has been slower to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic than in the West. Stricter controls from China to Malaysia have lasted longer than in Europe or the US, causing a sharp decline in visitor numbers.

But now, business in the region is booming again, with the number of tourists visiting Asian countries expected to increase by 30% this year, according to the WTTC.

Western tourists are flocking to Asia. The number of American trips to Asia doubled by 2023. The strong value of the US dollar against Asian currencies has also contributed to the boom.

Catherine Heald, director of Remote Lands, a luxury travel agency, says many of her clients are diving in Indonesia's Komodo Island, visiting temples in Japan and taking foodie trips around Thailand.

The range of destinations and activities is expanding. Wealthy travelers can take a ride on the newly renovated Eastern & Oriental Express through Singapore and Malaysia, operated by Belmond, the hotel arm of French luxury conglomerate LVMH.

As of June 2024, there are more than 500,000 hotel rooms under construction across Asia, up more than 4% from 2023.

Getting to Asia is also becoming easier, with domestic and Western airlines increasing the number of flights to and from the continent, with British Airways, for example, restarting flights to Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur.

The main driver of Asia's tourism growth is the region's own people, especially Chinese tourists.

Chinese consumers have started traveling abroad again and are expected to double the number of trips this year compared to 2023, according to research firm Oxford Economics.

Despite the expected doubling, the number of trips has yet to reach pre-pandemic levels, suggesting huge growth potential for China's tourism industry.

Most Chinese tourist trips take place within the region, with 75% of flights from China going to countries in East Asia and Southeast Asia.

Indian consumers are also increasingly traveling abroad, helped by rising disposable incomes. They spent nearly $20 billion on overseas trips in the year ending March 2024, more than three times the amount spent five years ago. Many are also increasingly interested in traveling to neighboring countries, in part because of relaxed visa policies in the region.

As incomes rise, Indian tourists will spend more. With huge growth potential and expected high spending, Indian tourists will become a major force in the Asian tourism industry.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/chau-a-tro-thanh-thi-truong-du-lich-soi-dong-sau-dich-covid-19-283407.html