China top in outbound travel among Asian countries

11 May, 2007

China now occupies the top spot among the Asian countries regarding the number of outbound travelers. And, the Chinese market for outbound travel is growing, according to the Pacific Asia Tourism Association (PATA).

Statistics available with the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) show that about 34.52 million Chinese citizens traveled overseas in 2006.

The forecast from the World Travel Fair 2007 is that nearly 37.4 million Chinese will travel abroad in 2007, a rise of 10% over the previous year.

The World Travel Organization has predicted that, in 2020, China will be the fourth largest nation vis-à-vis tourist source and that in 15 years, about 100 million Chinese tourists will travel abroad annually.

For Chinese tourists, Asia is the top foreign destination. In the first half of 2005, about 13.104 million people visited China’s neighboring countries, accounting for 90.4% of the total number of Chinese who traveled overseas.

The major reason for the phenomenal rise in the number of outbound travelers is the growth in China’s gross domestic product (GDP). According to Professor Wang Qiyan, director of the Leisure Economy Research Institute of the Renmin University, when a country’s average GDP exceeds US$3,000, it will experience a tourism boom.

In 2006, the average GDP of Shanghai touched US$7,490. As a result, over 2 million Chinese people traveled abroad that year.

The increasing number of outbound travelers from China has prompted international travel organizations around the world to promote their products and services in China. By the end of 2006, 132 foreign countries and regions had opened travel markets to China.

According to China National Tourism Administration, 19 overseas travel agencies have offices in China.

The US states of Hawaii and Nevada have tourism counselors in China. California is a popular destination for Chinese travelers, and Los Angeles has a travel office in China.

China will most probably become California’s largest overseas tourist source market in 10 years, a top official of the California Travel and Tourism Commission has said.

The United Kingdom is expect to attract nearly 200,000 Chinese tourists in 2010, and 500,000 in 2020, according to Sir Michael Lickiss, chairman of the British Tourist Authority.

China has three seven-day-long national holidays during the Spring Festival, in May and October, which are regarded as Golden Weeks. Outbound travel is at its peak during the Golden Weeks.