With global tourism approaching full recovery, the Chinese online travel agency (OTA) giant Trip.com Group has reported a strong booking interest in Asia.
As of mid-January, China’s outbound travel bookings for the upcoming Chinese New Year holidays have surged more than 10 times compared to the previous year, according to Trip.com Group.
Among those popular travel destinations, the online booking platform found out that Thailand, Japan, and South Korea are emerging as top travel destinations for Chinese travelers.
According to Trip.com Group data, destinations with visa-free arrangements or plans for relaxed visa policies, such as Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia, are among the top choices for Chinese tourists during the upcoming Chinese New Year.
Thailand initially introduced the visa-free access policy to Chinese tourists in September last year, and later on, the Thai authorities decided to make the policy permanent due to the slower-than-expected recovery of Chinese tourists.
Malaysia and Singapore also announced the visa waiver for Chinese tourists in December last year.
Trip.com also notes significant increases have been recorded in inbound search and booking volumes from countries like Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands.
During a panel held alongside the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, Jane Sun, CEO of Trip.com Group, expressed optimism about the tourism industry’s growth, highlighting recent positive developments such as increased flight capacities and expanded visa-free arrangements that facilitate international travel to and from China.
Notably, there are mutual visa-free agreements with Malaysia and plans for similar arrangements with Singapore and Thailand.
She also shared insights into the rising consumer income, leading to growing trends in the region. These trends include a demand for high-quality wellness experiences and event tourism, especially for sought-after events like concerts and music festivals.
Regarding the wider Asian economy, Sun maintained that its prospects remain robust, citing projections that it will contribute to around 50 percent of global GDP growth. The rapid development of the tourism industry in Asia, coupled with the strong purchasing power of Asian customers, indicates the potential for sustained growth in the region.
