Sunday, May 19, 2024 China’s international air traffic surged to 80% of pre-COVID levels in April, reflecting Beijing’s tourism revival efforts and the rise in Chinese outbound travel. China’s international air passenger traffic bounced back to over 80% of pre-COVID levels in April, showcasing Beijing’s efforts to draw more international visitors and the rising trend of Chinese citizens traveling abroad post-pandemic. In April, approximately 5.
1 million international air passenger trips were recorded, as reported by Li Yong, a senior official with the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), during a briefing in Beijing on Friday. This marks the third consecutive month where international air passenger traffic has remained above 80% of pre-pandemic levels, according to Li. Total air passenger trips, encompassing both domestic and international routes, hit 56 million, reflecting a 10.
6% year-over-year growth and a 5.3% increase from 2019, before the pandemic, according to CAAC data. Since late last year, China has implemented various policy measures to attract more international visitors.
Earlier this month, Beijing announced visa-free entry for foreign tour groups arriving via cruise ships and extended visa-free entry to travelers from select European and Asian countries. Bloomberg Intelligence’s survey indicates that travel sentiment is finally improving within China, with a heightened willingness to spend driving an increase in both domestic and outbound tri.
