China To See Thriving Tourism Industry, Revenue To Reach USD 580B

China expects its tourism market to thrive this year, beginning with a busy and robust summer travel season as tourists flock to vacation destinations following the end of the government's zero-COVID policy, which kept people at home for nearly three years.

According to data from the China Tourism Academy, domestic tourism revenue in 2023 could reach about 4 trillion yuan (US$580.8 billion), an increase of about 95% year on year, and recover to about 71% of 2019 levels.

Domestic tourist numbers are expected to reach around 4.55 billion in 2023, up 80% year on year, while inbound and outbound tourist numbers are expected to exceed 90 million, more than doubling year on year and returning to 31.5 percent of pre-pandemic levels.

Using the data, the number of domestic tourists in the United States in 2022 will be 25.3 billion, a 22.1 percent decrease from the previous year.

"The tourism market is expected to enter a new channel of expected strengthening in the second quarter, and the summer vacation is expected to usher in a full recovery," according to the report.

During the pandemic, travel service providers were particularly hard hit. Following the repeal of China's stringent COVID policies, travel across the country increased, particularly during the week-long Lunar New Year holiday, which saw an increase in trips.