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According to research by Dragon Trail International, a provider of tourism development solutions in China, the number of Chinese tourists traveling abroad could reach 80% of pre-pandemic levels by the end of this year and return to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2025.
According to online travel companies such as Ctrip, Tong Cheng, Tuniu, Mafengwo, and Zuzuche, the UAE is a new favorite destination for Chinese tourists, alongside traditional overseas markets like Thailand and Malaysia. Research by Oxford Economics also suggests the Middle East region is poised to lead the recovery wave of Chinese outbound tourism this year.
Chinese tourists have been flocking to Vietnam in recent days.
Last year, Liu Yifei, one of China's leading actresses, was chosen as a Tourism Ambassador for Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Abu Dhabi's tourism authority released a promotional video featuring Liu Yifei, which garnered 7.9 million views and 32,000 shares in just one week.
The list of 20 favorite destinations for Chinese tourists during the Lunar New Year, published by Mafengwoo, also showed growth in countries offering visa-free entry or visa-on-arrival for Chinese tourists, such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, and Morocco.
Data from ForwardKeys indicates that the number of Chinese tourists visiting the Middle East has surpassed 2019 levels, with Cairo, Egypt, being the most important destination. In May, the Arab Travel Fair in Dubai saw a doubling in the number of booths and travel professionals from China compared to 2019.
Since the beginning of the year, the number of Chinese tourists entering Vietnam has started to increase significantly compared to previous years. Specifically, the Mong Cai International Border Gate Border Guard Station processed entry procedures for more than 141,000 Chinese tourists from January to early March. After the full moon of the first lunar month, the number of Chinese tourists entering the country increased even more, averaging about 2,000 people per day.
In the coming period, the number of Chinese tourists traveling abroad is predicted to continue to surge during the 5-day International Labor Day holiday starting from May 1st. This event will mark the beginning of the summer travel season – the time when Chinese tourists are most keen to travel internationally.
