Domestic ticket sales have already exceeded 2019 levels by 4% for the same period, indicating a strong desire among Chinese tourists to resume their international travels. As more countries reopen their borders and ease travel restrictions, it is expected that this trend will continue to grow, further boosting the recovery of the travel sector.
Chinese tourists are now making their way overseas for the extended May Labor Day holiday in numbers that are nearing pre-pandemic levels. This surge in outbound trips is helping to revitalize what was once the world’s largest travel market. Outbound trips between April 27 and May 5 are only 7% below levels seen in 2019, according to data from ForwardKeys, a travel forecasting company.
The five-day break that began on Wednesday has seen a significant increase in bookings, surpassing expectations based on ticket sales at the start of April. This last-minute rush has propelled the number of outbound trips to almost pre-pandemic levels. The rebound in Chinese tourism is a positive sign for the global travel industry, as it indicates a strong desire among Chinese tourists to resume their international travels.