Research by Dragon Trail International, based on a survey of 465 Chinese travel agents, indicates an optimistic outlook for China’s outbound travel market in 2025. The survey findings, shared during a webinar on January 15, suggest significant growth opportunities, particularly among older and younger travel groups.
Sienna Parulis-Cook, Director of Marketing and Communications at Dragon Trail International, opened the webinar with key insights. She highlighted data from Flight Master’s 2024 annual report, which shows that outbound flights from China are projected to reach 580,000 in 2024—about 74.8% of the flight numbers seen in 2019. Notably, travel to the Middle East, Central Asia, and Africa has already surpassed 2019 levels.
Parulis-Cook also discussed notable improvements in flight routes, such as the China-Canada route, which has seen a boost following Canada’s removal of travel restrictions late last year. Chinese airlines are now playing a dominant role in the long-haul market, benefiting from the ability to fly over Russian airspace, which allows them to offer shorter travel times and more competitive pricing.
Visa policies have also supported the recovery of outbound tourism. Japan is set to ease visa requirements for Chinese travelers in the spring, while South Korea will launch a visa-free program for Chinese group tourists later this year. These changes are expected to further encourage Chinese outbound tourism.
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