Will outbound tourism be popular?, 60 plus 78 markets | List | Outbound travel
On August 10th, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced the third batch of list for resuming outbound team tours. On the basis of restoring 60 destination countries and regions in the first two batches of pilot programs, an additional 78 destinations were expanded at once, bringing the number of outbound team tour destinations for Chinese citizens to 138. Which countries are involved in the third batch of lists? What impact will the further expansion of outbound team travel destinations have on the recovery of the overseas tourism market? News 1+1 connects with Dai Bin, President of China Tourism Research Institute, to jointly follow: 60 plus 78, will outbound tourism be popular?
The Chinese outbound tourism market has fully recovered
Dai Bin, President of the China Tourism Research Institute: The announcement of the third batch of names indicates that China's outbound tourism market has fully recovered, and also indicates that we are about to usher in a peak of outbound tourism during the Mid Autumn Festival and National Day holidays. In addition, this also means that while boosting consumer confidence, we can better meet the aspirations of the general public for a better life, which greatly promotes the recovery and growth of global tourism and economic development. In this sense, the release of the third batch of lists should be said to be timely. In addition, not every country in over 200 countries around the world is an IDS country for Chinese citizens to travel abroad. This time, except for a few countries like Canada, countries with IDS agreements have basically recovered. If a market recovers by more than 90%, it is not called pilot recovery, but it means comprehensive recovery.
Restore outbound travel to 78 countries! How is the social response?
After the Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced the first and second batch of outbound team tour countries in January and March this year, on August 10th, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced the third batch of list for resuming outbound team tours. Popular tourist destination countries such as Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States are all on the third batch list. What is the social response after the list is released? How does the tourism industry view this list?
Market benefits will be reflected in the National Day holiday on the 11th
Dai Bin, President of the China Tourism Research Institute: Compared to domestic tourism, outbound tourism is not just about taking a walk, it requires advance notice. Generally speaking, it requires a preparation period of 1 to 3 months. Even during this summer, some travel agencies have already received their first orders, but I believe that more is just a release of emotional value. More than two-thirds of the summer has passed, and primary and secondary school students may have to take leave, which is no longer in line with the favorable policies for outbound tourism. Therefore, from a general market perspective, it is more conducive to the upcoming Mid Autumn Festival, National Day, and Spring Festival holidays. In addition, the recovery of our supply chains such as flights and cruise ships cannot immediately increase in intensity in the short term, so price factors will also be an important influencing factor for the release of favorable outbound tourism policies. Therefore, I feel that it should be during the Mid Autumn Festival and National Day, which is more favorable for the market.
Will the issue of visa difficulty need to be changed?
Dai Bin, President of the China Tourism Research Institute: Compared to domestic tourism, the biggest variables in outbound tourism involve visas, exchange rates, and the supply of destination resources. So after the documents for our outbound tourism are sent out, we need the joint efforts of visa, foreign affairs, embassy and consulate departments in China, as well as airlines, travel agencies, and destination resource providers. I believe that the release of the third batch of lists will contribute to the improvement of the quality of relevant public and commercial services. In other words, without the cooperation of these departments, our outbound tourism cannot continue to develop.
Further expansion of outbound team tour destinations
What else needs to be restored?
On the 10th, the Ministry of Tourism announced the third batch of list for resuming outbound team tours. Prior to this, in February of this year, China took the lead in resuming outbound team tour services in 20 pilot countries, including Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, and others. On February 6th, after the first Chinese tour group to Thailand arrived in Bangkok, the National Tourism Administration of Thailand organized a grand welcome ceremony at the airport. Half a year has passed, and the popularity seems to have declined. Not only Thailand, but the overall tourism situation in Southeast Asia in the first half of this year did not meet expectations. Why did this situation occur? What are the challenges facing the recovery of outbound tourism?
Will the situation of fewer flights and higher ticket prices improve?
Dai Bin, President of China Tourism Research Institute: I believe that ticket prices will gradually decrease with the gradual opening of the market. The price of air tickets is mainly influenced by two factors. One is influenced by supply and demand, and the other is influenced by policies. If there were no open policies, the plane would fly out and no one would be taking it. Now that the entire market is open, everyone has a reasonable expectation to increase the supply of flights, which in turn can promote the growth of tourist numbers. This is a virtuous cycle. I believe that as the number of outbound passengers increases, the relevant departments of civil aviation in China and various countries will accelerate the negotiation process and effectively increase the supply of flight routes. I believe that as we promote the development of the tourism market, the corresponding prices will come down.
