China's Golden Week holiday saw international travel numbers only 7% lower than before the pandemic, with Thailand, Malaysia and Japan the top destinations.
China's Golden Week holiday saw international travel numbers only 7% lower than before the pandemic, with Thailand, Malaysia and Japan the top destinations.
Travel data research firm ForwardKeyes found that international travel bookings from April 27 to May 5 by Chinese travelers were only 7% lower than in 2019, the peak period. Searches for international flights during this period were up 56% compared to the same period in 2023, according to Trip.com Group, the country’s largest online travel company.
Golden Week or May Day holiday (May 1-5) is a major holiday in China, along with the Lunar New Year and National Day. Spending trends during this period are considered one of the most accurate indicators to assess the country's economy.
Popular destinations include Japan, Thailand, South Korea, Malaysia, and Singapore. Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore are the three countries that have bilateral visa exemptions with China. After the pandemic, many international flights have resumed to the Chinese market, helping to lower ticket prices and boost tourism demand. The recovery of Chinese international tourism is faster than expected at the beginning of the year. The main obstacle preventing international flights in China from fully recovering is the lack of international arrivals.
Chinese tourists are flocking to Japan because the weak yen allows them to travel cheaply and still enjoy high-end services. Nearly half a million Chinese tourists visited Japan in March, up 65% from 2019.
In Europe, Italy is the favorite destination for Chinese tourists with the number of trips booked increasing by 19% compared to before the pandemic, followed by the UK with a 12% increase. The Middle East is also a destination that Chinese people "keep an eye on" and the UAE is the top destination in the region for May Day trips.
In addition, Chinese tourists’ anxiety and fear of traveling is no longer as severe as before. The demand for travel is recovering despite concerns about the gloomy economy.
Domestic tourism in China is booming. Travel agencies are reporting higher hotel and transportation bookings compared to last year. Airline ticket sales are up 4% from pre-pandemic levels (compared to the same period in April). According to CCTV , Chinese tourists spent 1.52 trillion yuan ($210 billion) in the first quarter, up 17% from the same period in 2023.
Domestic train tickets also sold out quickly during the holiday. Major train stations in Shanghai are expected to handle 4.24 million trips during the eight-day May Day holiday. Train operators are adding more routes to meet the surge in demand.
Trip.com points out that in addition to typical domestic destinations such as Beijing and Shanghai, Chinese people also visit smaller cities such as Tianshui, Gansu Province, and Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province. The age group traveling during this time is mainly students or those in their 20s and 30s. They travel to attend concerts, festivals, and outdoor activities such as mountain climbing.
Apart from tourism, spending on other items is slowing in China due to economic uncertainty. The government is encouraging people to spend to stimulate demand by subsidizing 10,000 yuan ($1,380) per person to replace old cars with electric or hybrid ones.
Data from the World Travel and Tourism Council shows that Chinese tourists took 170 million international trips in 2019, spending 14% of global tourism receipts. International travel by Chinese tourists is expected to “stabilize” this year and fully recover by 2025.
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