China tourism forecast to recover strongly in 2024

A newly released study by the China Tourism Academy predicts that the country's tourism market will return to its bustling state in 2024.

Chinese people are estimated to make about 6 billion domestic trips this year, up from nearly 4.9 billion trips in 2023, according to the research report.

Meanwhile, the total number of Chinese tourists traveling domestically and internationally will exceed 260 million.

The report, which includes an assessment of China's tourism performance in 2023 and a forecast for 2024, highlights a significant recovery in China's tourism sector last year.

Specifically, in 2023, China's domestic tourism marked an annual growth of over 100% in both revenue and number of tourists, and nearly 80% compared to 2019, the time before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Also in 2023, tourism activities of Chinese people increased sharply both within and outside China, with total visits exceeding 190 million, an increase of 280% over the same period last year.

China is gearing up for a bumper tourism season, with travel agencies and industry players expecting record-breaking passenger numbers during the upcoming Spring Festival and adding fresh impetus to the country’s economic recovery.

Xinhua News Agency reported that on the first day of the Spring Festival, the world's second most populous country recorded more than 189 million trips, an increase of nearly 20% compared to the same period last year.

During the 8-day Lunar New Year period in 2024, from February 10, there will be an average of 1.8 million daily entries and exits from China.

Researchers from the China Tourism Academy stressed that the demand for travel among these people remained very high throughout the past year and will continue into 2024.

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