Editor’s note — Sign up for Unlocking the World, CNN Travel’s weekly newsletter. Get news about destination openings, inspiration for future adventures, plus the latest in aviation, food and drink, places to stay and other travel.
(CNN) — Xiongjie Dai, a freelance software engineer living in the Chinese city of Suzhou, is dreaming of his first big trip since Covid-19.
The 32-year-old says destinations such as South Korea, Europe, Japan, New Zealand and Australia rank high on the list. But he has his eyes on the US.
“When I have enough money, I would like to visit America first,” he tells CNN Travel. “America is a leader in both computer and IT industry, so I want to visit Silicon Valley and famous universities like MIT, Stanford and so on.”
Outbound flight bookings surged 254% at the end of December, a day after it was announced that travel restrictions would be eased from January 8, according to data from Trip.com Group.
“We are optimistic about the tourism outlook,” Wendy Min, head of media and executive communications at Trip.com Group, told CNN Travel.
“The latest policy announcement is encouraging and we expect strong pent-up demand and an increase in consumer confidence.”
Where to first?
Singapore is the top destination for Chinese travelers, according to Trip. Read also : ‘The next public health disaster in the making’: Studies offer new pieces of long-standing Covid puzzle.com Group data.
The most popular destinations so far are Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong, Japan and Thailand, based on Trip.com group bookings. For long-haul destinations, the USA, Great Britain and Australia are leading the way.
“The trend we’ve seen is that short-haul flights are popular because of (lower) prices. Singapore, South Korea and Japan have always been quite popular with Chinese travelers, even before Covid,” Min says.
It makes sense for regional travel to recover first, says Dr. Wolfgang Georg Arlt, CEO of the China Outbound Tourism Research Institute (COTRI), since it is easier and cheaper to visit nearby destinations.
But the first quarter of 2023 will be almost exclusively non-leisure emergency travel, such as business travel, family reunions, student travel or medical needs, he adds.
Chinese business travelers will want to reconnect with the world’s largest economies, such as the US, Japan and Europe. Additionally, destinations like the US, UK and Australia also attract many Chinese students, so some travelers may be planning reunions.
The first wave of free travel
The first wave of leisure travel
According to Arlt, leisure travel will start to pick up in the second quarter of the year when things like passport and visa approval processes run smoothly and flights are fully resumed. Read also : 5 ways to save on last minute summer travel.
“Some travelers will be very motivated to get a passport, a visa and an affordable ticket. Others will wait and see what stories the ‘pioneers’ have when they return,” he tells CNN Travel.
“The government has spent three years making people in China afraid of the outside world, so some will still be concerned about whether it is safe to travel.”
During the pandemic, Chinese state media and the ruling Communist Party have repeatedly highlighted the high death tolls in places like the US and the UK, compared to the relatively low numbers in China, as proof of the superiority of China’s authoritarian system.
As consumer confidence rises in the first quarter, Arlt expects to see more Chinese travelers taking regional getaways that prioritize well-being, relaxation and nature, likely around April.
“After all the stress and problems, and for many, sadness (due to the large number of deaths from Covid-19 in China), it can be expected that many will choose to get away from it all for a long weekend or at a beach resort. in Vietnam, Thailand or Cambodia,” says Arlt.
Sienna Parulis-Cook is director of marketing and communications at digital marketing agency Dragon Trail International. It highlights the Maldives as the beach destination of choice for affluent travelers in 2023.
“The Maldives is particularly attractive to the luxury market and those looking for a beautiful beach holiday – it’s also a destination that seems to have recovered relatively quickly from the impact of Covid compared to other places in the world, so this could play into its popularity now.” ” she says.
Others will plan trips around hobbies, such as mountain biking, hiking, wine tasting, cooking and calligraphy.
“Many Chinese have had time to develop their own special interests (over the past three years),” says Arlt. “The pandemic has proven how fragile and short life can be, so doing meaningful things has become that much more important.”
The most desirable destinations
Luxury lovers have long been attracted to the Maldives. Read also : Is it safe to travel while BA is spreading.5? Health professionals measure..
Before the pandemic, China was the world’s largest outbound travel market in terms of departures and spending. According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Chinese travelers took 154.6 million trips abroad in 2019 and spent nearly $255 billion.
Based on COTRI data projections, overseas travel could reach 115 million — an increase of about three-quarters — by the end of the year, including trips to the Chinese territories of Hong Kong and Macau.
Many of the same destinations will regain their top positions as travel hotspots, Parulis-Cook says.
In 2019, Thailand was the number one destination for Chinese travelers, hosting about 11 million Chinese tourists — more than a quarter of the country’s overseas arrivals.
Japan was in second place, attracting 9.5 million Chinese travelers in 2019, according to Japan Tourism Statistics. Vietnam, meanwhile, attracted 5.8 million; South Korea, approximately 5.5 million; and Singapore, 3.6 million.
“Destinations that were popular before the pandemic are likely to regain their popularity when China reopens. The Chinese tourism industry and the Dragon Trail definitely expect destinations in Greater China (Hong Kong and Macau), Southeast and East Asia to recover first,” says Parulis. -Cook.
“They are the closest to China, have the most recovered flights so far and will probably seem the safest and easiest for the first outbound trip post-Covid.”
New hotspots and experiences
Emerging hotspots and experiences
Chinese travelers have had three years to dream about where they want to go and swap stories with friends, Arlt says, and there is a growing interest in discovering less conventional destinations.
Trip.com Min is an example of this.
“I’m definitely ready to start my travel adventures again. I used to visit five new countries a year before Covid,” she says. “Now that connectivity and mobility is back, I’m looking forward to backpacking solo and experiencing the world through my own eyes again.”
The travel enthusiast has ambitious plans to explore Cyprus, Oman, Iraq, Rwanda, Madagascar and Namibia in 2023.
“I’ve been thinking about Central America, too, but I’ll have to see how much time I have,” she says.
Min’s desire to explore off-the-beaten-track destinations reflects a larger trend among seasoned travelers.
Georgia offers travelers a unique mix of experiences.
Lukas Bischoff/iStockphoto/Getty Images
For example, Arlt says that countries like Albania or Georgia are of interest.
Before the pandemic, Albania was just beginning to appear on the radar of Chinese travelers. The country has centuries-old villages and authentic rural environments, which attract seasoned travelers, he says.
Georgia, meanwhile, beckons with its diverse mix of experiences: urban adventure in the capital Tbilisi, skiing in the mountains, Black Sea beaches and ancient architecture.
“These are places that are still being discovered,” says Arlt, who will publish a book later this month on the next wave of Chinese outbound tourism.
“Paris is no longer impressive. If you tell your friends that you have been to Albania, they will think that you are very special. That you have a taste and a sense of adventure.”
Shifts in travel styles
According to the Trip.com Group, Chinese travelers gravitate toward small group and solo travel rather than large tours, and pay more attention to sustainability.
Arlt observed the same trends.
“There are big changes in the demand and expectations of Chinese travelers,” he says. “Young people in China are very interested in sustainability and green issues, because China is also suffering from the consequences of climate change.”
According to a 2022 Dragon Trail survey, 48.3% of potential travelers said they would choose accommodations with environmentally friendly operations, 45.5% would choose cruelty-free ways to see wildlife, and 37.9% would personally contribute to the local environment by picking up trash or cycling instead of driving.
Moreover, the main reasons for traveling abroad were “to try local food” (60.8%), “to experience local life” (56%) and “to visit the beach and the sea” (51.8%).
But not everything has changed when it comes to what Chinese travelers want.
“Many of China’s post-pandemic travel trends and preferences show continuity with (those) that developed before the pandemic. Nature and outdoor activities, self-driving (car hire for travel) and the shift from large group travel to solo travel are all examples of this,” says Parulis-Cook.
“The search for open spaces and nature has been very popular during the pandemic – driven by a desire to get out of cities or crowds – but it was a big draw for Chinese outbound tourists even before Covid.”
For example, the chance to stargaze or experience the aurora (or northern lights) was something that drew Chinese travelers to places like Norway, Peru, Canada and New Zealand before the pandemic.
“One activity that has really taken off in China during the Covid era in a way it hasn’t before is glamping,” she adds. “Glamping and camping were a fresh way to travel locally and stay in nature during the pandemic, and it became a trend on Chinese social media.”
Given its popularity in China, Parulis-Cook wouldn’t be surprised if travelers try glamping in places like Japan or Thailand, where local operators already advertise to internet users on Chinese social media.
There is also a desire for longer-term travel, such as living, studying or pursuing a career abroad, says Arlt.
“A lot of people will be traveling to different places to decide whether they want to move to Singapore, London, Toronto or Sydney. These people are likely to be (among the first to travel again).”
Hurdles to entry
The World Health Organization has accused China of “underrepresenting” the severity of the Covid outbreak, as the world’s top health officials urge Beijing to share more data on the spread of the explosives. CNN’s Ivan Watson reports.
With China accounting for roughly 14% of the $1.8 trillion in global tourism spending in 2019, many destinations are anxiously awaiting the return of travelers to the country.
But just before China reopened, a series of entry and inspection restrictions came into effect. The US, Canada, Japan, Australia, India, Italy, the UK and France, among others, have announced plans to require a negative Covid-19 test before departure due to the country’s ongoing wave of infections.
Since China abandoned its zero-Covid policy and began partially opening up late last year, the subsequent Covid outbreak has overwhelmed hospitals and crematoria and caused shortages of essential medicines. While the wave may have already peaked in some major cities, rural areas with fewer resources could be hit hard in January, with widespread domestic travel expected over the Lunar New Year holiday period.
Some studies estimate that the number of deaths from Covid in China could exceed one million if it does not introduce injections and antiviral drugs quickly enough.
The World Health Organization has advised against restricting travel to countries that have experienced Covid-19 outbreaks in the past, but said it was “understandable” in this case due to a lack of transparent information and encouraged China to share more data.
In response to the travel/screening restrictions, International Air Transport Association Director General Willie Walsh issued a statement on January 4, warning countries to re-impose measures that have “proven ineffective” while “the virus is already circulating within their borders”.
“We have the tools to manage Covid-19 without resorting to ineffective measures that disrupt international connectivity, harm the economy and destroy jobs,” he says.
Parulis-Cook also expressed concern about the consequences of targeted entry requirements.
“When travel restrictions are country-specific – travelers from China, India or South Africa, to name a few examples from past years – rather than universal, they are far more effective at creating stigma than preventing the spread of Covid,” she says.
“Chinese travelers will have many choices for their first outbound trip, and destinations without any entry restrictions will appeal to them as friendlier and easier to travel to.”
Arlt offers a different perspective.
“I see all this discussion that Chinese travelers will feel uncomfortable having to take a pre-departure test to many destinations and will prefer destinations that don’t require a test,” he says.
“In fact, they are not only used to testing and getting free tests in China, but they will also be pleased to know that all the other passengers on their plane have also tested negative.”
Is China issuing tourist visas 2022?
China says it will resume issuing passports and visas as the fight against the virus eases. Passengers prepare to board a flight at an airport in north-central China’s Jiangxi province on November 1, 2022.
Does China issue Z visas? The Z visa is issued to those who intend to work in China. S1 and S2 visas are issued to those intending to visit foreigners working in China who have spouses, parents, sons or daughters under the age of 18, or parents-in-law.
Are US embassies in China issuing visas?
As of April 9, 2021, the Immigrant Visa Unit of the US Consulate General Guangzhou has continued to process fiance and immigrant visa applications. If you are an immigrant visa applicant and have received an appointment letter, please follow the instructions provided.
Is tourist visa available for China?
You can apply for a US B1/B2 visa on iVisa. Below is some useful information that you can use to help you apply for a US B1/B2 visa. Chinese nationals who plan to travel to the United States for a short period of time must apply for a US B1/B2 VISA FOR CHINESE CITIZENS.
Is China issuing X2 visas?
X2 visa is issued to those who will study for less than 6 months. The X1 visa usually allows you to stay in China for up to 60 days per visit and allows multiple entries for up to 5 years.
Which Schengen country is easy to get visa in 2022?
Finland. The Nordic country, Finland, is one of the European countries for which it is easiest to get a visa. Although Finland receives a large number of applications annually, out of a total of 61,018 visa applications in 2021, 55,882 were approved. Overall, Finland has an approval rate of 98.3%.
Which European country easily grants a visa? Estonia is the easiest country to get a Schengen visa from, with only 1.5% of applications rejected in 2020. This means that 98.5% of Schengen visa applications for Estonia received a positive response. In addition, Estonia ranks no.
Which Schengen country is fastest to get visa?
In general, Lithuania is the easiest country to get a Schengen visa from, with officials approving 98.7% of requests. The nation also receives fewer applications than countries like Germany or France, as they are extremely popular with tourists and business travelers.
Which is the easiest country to get Schengen Visa 2022?
Which EU countries are the easiest to get a Schengen visa?
- Lithuania.
- Estonia.
- Finland.
- Iceland.
- Luxembourg.
- Slovakia.
- Latvia.
- Czech Republic.
Which Schengen country has highest visa approval rate?
In which country is it easiest to get a Schengen visa? Lithuania was reported as the country offering the fewest visa refusals, with an approval rate of 98.7%. It may not be a trendy tourist destination like France and Germany, but it can lead to a shorter wait for the status of your visa application.
How much is China visa now?
The standard cost of a Chinese visa for United States citizens is $140. But the price varies depending on the number of entries and based on the country that issues your passport. Some small additional fees such as services and taxes may increase the final price of the Chinese visa.
Can I get a 10-year visa for China? US passport holders who also reside in the US are now eligible for a 10-year tourist visa. This visa allows you to enter and exit China as many times as you like within a period of 10 years. Please note that the maximum stay per visit is 60 days upon entry.
Is China issuing visas right now?
The Chinese Embassy in India has also updated the “Application Procedures and Material Requirements for Chinese Visa†which will be applicable from August 24, 2022.
How much is a 10 year Chinese visa?
Visit your local Chinese embassy/consulate and submit the application form and other required documents. Pay the visa fee ($140) at the Visa Office and select your visa.
How much does China visa cost?
Generally, the cost is $140 for a US citizen, and the fee ranges from $30 to $90 for citizens of other countries. It is usually paid when you collect your visa, but in some places it must be paid when you apply.
Are China 10-year visa suspended?
US consulates in China announce suspension of visa services in response to China’s latest outbreak of COVID-19. On December 15, 2022, the US State Department’s Consular Service, Mission to China announced that all routine visa services will be suspended indefinitely.
Are 10-year visas valid for China? The visa is valid for up to 10 years. Applications for other types of visas, such as tourist visa (L), transit visa (G), etc., are not currently being accepted.
Is China issuing visas right now?
The Chinese Embassy in India has also updated the “Application Procedures and Material Requirements for Chinese Visa†which will be applicable from August 24, 2022.
Is my 10 year visa still valid?
The Government of India has decided to reinstate valid long-stay (10 years) regular (paper) tourist visas for US citizens with immediate effect.
How do I get a 10 year Chinese tourist visa?
US citizens may be eligible for a 10-year multiple-entry visa. For a tourist visa, the passport must be valid for at least 6 months and have at least two blank pages. You must also have an invitation letter from a Chinese travel agency or individual or round-trip tickets and hotel reservations.
