A visitor asks a question at Disneyland Paris' booth during the 2024 ITB China Travel Trade Exhibition in Shanghai on May 27. The three-day event attracted more than 600 exhibitors from over 80 countries and regions. (Photo courtesy of China Daily)
With the optimization of China's visa policies and people's increasing desire to explore new places and cultures, this summer's travel bookings are expected to peak earlier than usual, according to travel agencies.
The country's summer vacation period usually starts in early July and runs until late August, but several online platforms, including travel portal Tuniu, are expecting a surge in bookings by late June.
According to a recent report by Trip.com Group, a global travel service provider, as of June 6, bookings for international destinations had nearly doubled compared to the same period last year, while bookings for domestic destinations had also seen a notable increase.
In addition to the optimization of visa policies between China and other countries, prestigious international sporting events such as the Olympic Games to be held in Paris, France, and the UEFA European Championship (Euro 2024) to be held in 10 cities in Germany are expected to drive the growth of outbound travel this summer.
Online travel agency Kunal said the month-long soccer tournament, which began on Friday and will end on July 14, has made other European countries with well-known soccer teams, such as Germany, Italy, France and Spain, popular among Chinese travelers.
Kunar said hotel bookings for two of the Euro 2024 host cities, Berlin and Munich, have surged 400% and 300% year-on-year on the platform, while bookings to Italy, France, Spain and the UK have seen a two- to three-fold increase compared to last year.
Travel portal Tuniu said it has seen a steady increase in bookings to European, African and Central Asian countries, while nearby international destinations such as Japan, Thailand and Singapore remain top choices for summer travel among its platform's users.
Trip.com reported a significant increase in visa applications to far-flung destinations such as the US, UK, Australia, Canada and France, with half of its customers having applied for visas to these destinations so far this year, compared with less than a third last year.
Industry insiders also expect a significant increase in tourists visiting Japan during the summer holidays thanks to China's preferential entry policies for foreigners.
In its latest act of goodwill, China announced on Monday that it was extending its 15-day visa-free entry and stay policy to Australia. Within 30 minutes, the group said, searches on Trip.com by Australian travellers for trips to mainland China increased by 80%.
The travel company added that Australia is the fifth largest supplier of tourists to China so far this year, with travel bookings to mainland China up 155% year-on-year.
Travel agents say long-distance trips remain popular this summer, but domestic destinations such as scenic spots in Xinjiang are also drawing tourists.
According to a Trip.com report, the hit Chinese drama “To the Wonder,” which depicts the breathtaking grassland scenery of Xinjiang's Altai, has made the region a popular summer destination among domestic tourists. Xinjiang's cool climate and ethnic diversity also attract tourists.
“The region's Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture has seen an 85 percent increase in summer travel bookings, with eight- to 10-day tours being the most popular,” the report said.
Yang Nan, 34, who works at a recruitment agency in Beijing, said she was planning a seven-day family trip to Xinjiang in late July.
“I will first stay in the regional capital Urumqi for two days and then go to Altai,” Yang said, adding that he wanted to travel to the northwestern tip to escape Beijing's scorching heat.
