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SabreChina’s decision to ease its travel restrictions has triggered a significant increase in travel queries and requests, particularly for outbound tourism, according to travel technology company Sabre. The reopening announcements from China have led to a surge in search and booking requests, with Chinese airlines leading capacity growth as demand outstrips supply. Sabre found that interest in inbound and outbound China routes rose by 78% compared to the average weekly searches in Q4 2022. Sabre also reported that long-awaited family reunions are a possible motivation for inbound travel, while outbound travellers are opting for longer stays. However, inbound travel remains limited due to restrictions in place. Overall, Sabre’s data indicates the potential for long-term travel confidence.

China’s travel restrictions have been in place for nearly three years, impacting global tourism. According to the World Tourism Organization, Chinese travellers booked over 166 million international trips in 2019, contributing over $245 billion to global tourism. After nearly three years of closure, China has finally started to ease travel restrictions, leading to a significant increase in travel queries and requests. Sabre sifted through its extensive shopping and booking data to examine the impact of the reopening through February 9, 2023, on tourism in China and globally.

Sabre’s shopping insights revealed that interest in inbound and outbound China routes surged in the week of December 26, when China first announced plans to drop quarantine for overseas visitors, and again when mainland China reopened sea and land crossings with Hong Kong on January 8. On January 20, it was announced that the ban imposed on group travel would end on February 6. Sabre reported that the ban’s lifting led to a significant increase in bookings, especially between January 30 and February 5, with bookings increasing by 60% from the average bookings in the previous two weeks.

The re-opening of China is already proving to be a key win for tourism recovery, particularly in the Asia Pacific region. Outbound travel has rebounded faster than inbound travel, with Sabre data showing outbound bookings making up 43.5% of 2023 overall travel through February 9, compared to 37% for the same period in 2019. Japan, Thailand, and Korea are the top three destinations for Chinese outbound travel in 2023, with Korea rising to the third spot from the fifth in the same period in 2019. Bookings for the United Kingdom, Thailand, and the Philippines have bounced back the fastest versus bookings made in the same period in 2019.

Sabre’s booking data shows that the largest sources of inbound travel for China so far in 2023 are Taiwan, the United States, Thailand, Korea, the United Kingdom, and Canada, with Thailand, the United Kingdom, and Canada bouncing back fastest in terms of recovery as of February 9. Sabre noted that one of the primary motivations for inbound travel may be long-awaited family reunions, following the lengthy lockdown period.

Although there is still some way to go before all travel restrictions are lifted for travel to and from China, Sabre’s data indicates the potential for long-term travel confidence. Travellers are opting for longer stays, with the share of trips longer than two weeks increasing from 14% to 21%, when comparing 2019 to 2023 (through February 9). Booking windows can be a key confidence metric, as travellers are often happier to book further out if they feel confident about their plans.

Sabre’s report highlights the significant impact of China’s reopening on the travel industry, providing a promising outlook for travel recovery and growth.

 

 

 

Written by: Kevin Hall

 

 

 

 

 

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