Since the orderly resumption of outbound travel by Chinese citizens, the overseas tourism market has clearly felt the "returning tide" of Chinese tourists. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced on Wednesday the culture and tourism market for the 2023 May Day holiday, with outbound tourism orders rising nearly seven times year-on-year.
The reporters recently visited Thailand, Egypt, France, Italy and other European countries, and found that the number of Chinese tourists at local tourist attractions has increased significantly. Multi-lingual tourism departments and relevant practitioners have said that the surge of Chinese tourists has revitalized the country's tourism industry and look forward to further expanding the business of Chinese tourists in the future.
Thailand: Pulling out all the stops to win 'big customers'
During the May Day holiday, the frequency of hearing Mandarin in Thailand's famous scenic spots such as the Grand Palace and the Temple of King Zheng would have led one to think he was back in China. On social media, the younger generation of Chinese are talking about Thailand tour guides and punching cards for Internet celebrities.
Before the holiday, there were clear signs of a return of Chinese tourists. By the end of April, Thailand had received more than 737,000 Chinese tourists this year, a surge of about 30 times compared with the same period in 2022, according to the Kaitai Research Center, a Thai think tank.
Tourists visit the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, May 1, 2019
Photo: Xinhua News Agency
Wu Mingti, Vice-Chairman of the Thai-China Tourism General Chamber of Commerce, who has been involved in tourism for more than 30 years, has been following closely post-pandemic Chinese tourist trends. He said that at present, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Thailand every day is about 10,000, which is basically one third of the level before the epidemic.
Not only that, but the rest of this year's Chinese holidays have also been planned by Thai tour operators. Ms. Marissa, president of the Thai Hotel Association, is optimistic that they expect the number of tourists from China to recover to 60 percent of pre-pandemic levels this year, with increased flights between Thailand and China during the summer and Chinese public holidays such as the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day in the second half of the year.
Ms. Marissa said the tourism authority of Thailand has been holding roadshows in major Chinese cities this year, and members of the hotel association have been eager to sign up and pull out all the stops to get the 'big customer.' The association also organizes seminars to introduce the Chinese market to members and help them gain an in-depth understanding of the habits and preferences of Chinese guests.
Egypt: Hopes to expand business with Chinese tourists
"Since the beginning of this year, I have been very busy every day, receiving tour groups almost every week. Although very tired, I am happy to introduce Egyptian culture to Chinese tourists." Amr Titi, an Egyptian tour guide, told reporters as he stood in front of the pyramids.
Tourists visit the pyramids in Giza, Egypt, May 1, 2019
Photo: Xinhua News Agency
Titi, who studied in China and speaks fluent Chinese, mainly caters to Chinese tourists. During the pandemic, most tour guides were "unemployed at home" with no income, he said. "Now the situation is getting better and better," he said. "I am very happy to see more and more Chinese tourists again."
To attract more tourists, Egyptian tourism authorities have recently introduced a series of facilitation measures, such as visa upon arrival. "One of the most important conveniences is a visa on arrival," said Mohamed Salama, head of the Tourism office of the Egyptian Tourism Promotion Authority. I believe this will give a strong boost to Chinese tourists coming to Egypt."
Xu Tailin, a tourist from Yunnan Province who visited Egypt during the May Day holiday, told reporters, "All the seats on the plane were full, and most of them were Chinese tourists." Chen Yixin, another tourist from Guangdong province, said it was his first overseas trip since the outbreak and he chose Egypt out of curiosity about the country's scenic spots.
Salama said Chinese tourists are vital to Egypt's tourism industry and even its economy. "More and more Egyptian travel agencies want to expand their business with Chinese tourists".
Europe: Many countries are bracing for a market rebound
In Europe, as Chinese outbound group Tours press the "reset button", many countries are rubbing their hands in anticipation of a positive rebound in the tourism market.
Fang Ting, general manager of France New Journey Travel Agency, told reporters that since France was included in the list of countries in China to resume outbound group Tours on a pilot basis, "there has been a steady flow of inquiries and emails about tour routes, products and prices, and we can clearly feel the signs of recovery in the tourism industry."
Gian Marco Centinayo, vice president of the Italian Senate, said in an interview that Italy expects personnel exchanges to resume in an orderly manner and bilateral economic and trade cooperation to be significantly improved again.
A Chinese tourist takes photos at the Colosseum in Rome, Italy, May 1, 2019
Photo: Xinhua News Agency
Yoanna Papadopoulou, head of communications and marketing at Athens International Airport, said the airport's duty-free shops have introduced payment methods that are easy for Chinese tourists to use, the airport has virtual assistants providing information in Chinese, and the airport's website has a Chinese interface. "We are ready to welcome back Chinese tourists," she said.
Practitioners in some countries have noticed changes in travel patterns after the pandemic. Masa Pukravitz, head of media and communications at the Slovenian Tourism Board, said many tourists are switching from mass destinations to niche destinations with pristine natural beauty and rich cultural heritage. It is expected that more and more Chinese tourists will come to Slovenia to explore outdoor tourism, enjoy the natural scenery and rich food.
The United Nations World Tourism Organization(UNWTO), based in Madrid, Spain, said in a recent statement that Chinese outbound tourism is having a positive impact on the global tourism industry and will help other economic sectors recover. Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General of UNWTO, said, "Chinese outbound group Tours send a positive signal to inject vitality into the recovery of the global tourism industry, which will give a strong boost to the global economy."
