China air travel hits fresh record on lunar new year boost
China’s airlines flew a record number of people in the first quarter, amid government efforts to boost the nation’s tourism sector and strong demand for holidays at home. Total air passenger traffic reached almost 180 million trips in the first three months of 2024, state broadcaster CCTV said Tuesday, citing data from the Civil Aviation Administration of China. That’s the most ever for such a quarter and represents year-on-year growth of 37.7%.
China preps for tourism boom on May Day holiday as early bookings rocket
China is expected to see a robust wave of tourism during the coming May Day holiday, with the sector expected to seize the opportunity to consolidate its recovery well above pre-pandemic levels and invigorate the country’s economy through a heavy bout of consumption. Domestic airfare orders for the holiday surged 21% compared to last year according to Chinese ticketer Umetrip – a 41% increase over the figure from 2019.
Hong Kong tourism sector hoping for 30% bump in visitors over upcoming ‘golden week’ holiday
Hong Kong’s tourism sector has expressed optimism over their business prospects during mainland China’s Labour Day “golden week” holiday, with a representative saying the industry is hoping for a 30% increase in the number of tourists from across the border compared with last year. The forecast came hours after Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu vowed on Tuesday to bring in more tourists during the five-day holiday starting on May 1 and showcase Hong Kong as a “city of hospitality”.
Hong Kong charts 1.5-fold increase in tourist arrivals in Q1
Hong Kong recorded over 11.23 million visitor arrivals in the first quarter this year, a 1.5-fold increase year-on-year and a 5-percent quarter-on-quarter hike, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) announced on Tuesday, citing preliminary statistics. The Tourism Board also announced that starting from May, it will regularly launch fireworks displays or drone performances at sea in conjunction with festivals or big events.
Water-splashing festivals boost tourism in China, Southeast Asia
The water-splashing festival in China's Yunnan and the Songkran Festival in Thailand attracted large numbers of foreign visitors, and celebrating such water festivals abroad has become a new trend for tourists from various countries and regions. According to the border checkpoint in Kunming, capital of Yunnan, Kunming Port handled about 57,000 inbound and outbound passengers during the water-splashing festival -- a massive year-on-year increase of 298.8 percent.
Rich Chinese tourists drive luxury demand in Japan on weak yen
LVMH’s first-quarter results brought reassuring signs that wealthy Chinese shoppers are splashing out on luxury items — just not in China. The world’s largest luxury group — with 75 brands ranging from Louis Vuitton to Dom Perignon — said demand from the Chinese rose by 10% in the first quarter, when those shopping outside the country are included. A healthy portion of the purchases by Chinese tourists occurred in Japan, where the well-heeled took advantage of the weak yen.
Chinese, Japanese tourist numbers help lift Philippines visitor arrivals in 4 months
Inbound arrivals in the Philippines reached some 1.88 million from January to April 15 this year, with tourists from mainland China and Japan kicking up the largest increases among the country’s top markets. Mainland China was the third largest market with 122,812 tourists, surging by 138.22 percent from the same period last year. The market accounted for a 6.55-percent market share.
Heilongjiang to boost tourism cooperation with Nordic countries
Cultural and tourism officials from Denmark and China's northeastern province of Heilongjiang have pledged to bolster collaboration in the tourism industry. This commitment was made during an ice and snow tourism promotion event held in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, on Tuesday.
China-Laos train a big hit among tourists
The China-Laos Railway handled 700,000 passenger trips last year, further boosting tourism development, China State Railway Group said. Throughout the year, the on-time arrival rate was 99 percent. The cross-border rail service has sparked a tourism boom in the cities and igniting new consumer momentum.
