China expects sharp rebound in tourism this year

BEIJING - China expects its tourism market to flourish in 2023, starting with a busy summer season as travellers go on vacations after the government ended its zero-Covid policy that kept people home for almost three years.

Domestic tourism revenue in 2023 could reach about 4 trillion yuan (S$777 billion), a year-on-year increase of about 95 per cent, and recover to about 71 per cent of 2019 levels, according to data from the China Tourism Academy.

Domestic tourist numbers are expected to reach around 4.55 billion in 2023,

up 80 per cent year on year, while inbound and outbound tourists numbers are seen at more than 90 million, doubling year on year and recovering to 31.5 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.

In 2022, the number of domestic tourists nationwide was 2.53 billion, down 22.1 per cent year on year, according to the data.

“It is expected that the tourism market will enter a new channel of expected strengthening in the second quarter, and the summer vacation is expected to usher in a full recovery,” the report said.

Travel service providers were hit particularly hard during the pandemic. After China scrapped its stringent Covid-19 policies, travel across the country surged, especially during the week-long Chinese New Year holiday. REUTERS