Chinese travelers' enthusiasm for outbound trips, pent up for about three years, has been unleashed with a surge in visa applications lately, the Global Times has learned.

In Shanghai, visa applications for temporary entry to the US for business or tourism have been booked until October, while the earliest available date for French visa application is in August, travel agencies told the Global Times.

Staff members at travel agencies said that getting a booking number on the embassies or consulates' official websites is as difficult as buying a ticket for the Chinese Spring Festival rush when millions of Chinese go back to their hometown for family reunion.

"Visa applications to Europe have mushroomed during the past month, while visa applications for Southeast Asia have kept on growing since January," a staffer surnamed Dong at a Beijing-based travel agency told the Global Times on Sunday.

Demand for visas to the Schengen area has risen rapidly, and 70% of applications are for business visas. Compared with the same period of 2019, the number of business visa applications has doubled, said Dong.