Trends in outbound travel from China 2024
China marketers Dragon Trail International report on trends in post-pandemic outbound travel from China that have emerged in 2024:
- Destinations offering visa-free travel to Chinese visitors - including Malaysia, Singapore, UAE, Georgia, Serbia - saw strong demand.
- Japan, because of its proximity to China and a very favorable exchange rate, became the #1 shopping destination for travelers from China.
- As concerns about COVID waned, consumer confidence and travel intention increased significantly.
- Chinese group tours to Europe lagged, while FITs surged, accounting for 52% of visitors to France.
- Chinese FITs are price-conscious but willing to spend big bucks for the travel experiences they want.
- Social media platform Xiaohongshu became increasingly influential as a source of inspiration of overseas travel; 57% of survey respondents said they used it.
- Because of airspace restrictions on Western airlines associated with the war in Ukraine, Chinese airlines dominate outbound routes, including 82% of flights between China and Europe.
- Overseas events like the Australian Open tennis tournament are an increasingly big draw for Chinese travelers.
- Growth in demand from lower-tier Chinese cities in exploding.
The US Travel Association reminds us that the USA received 2.8 million visitors from China in 2019 but only 368,000 in 2022, and continues to advocate for US government policies that will lower visa wait times.
