2023 unlikely to be a banner year for US inbound from China
The China Outbound Tourism Research Institute (Cotri) expects tourists from the PRC to take 110M international trips in 2023, about two-thirds of the 2019 pre-pandemic level.
But China has changed during 3 years of COVID-19 lockdowns, and destinations will have to change accordingly. But since the PRC government's ban on sales of outbound group tour packages remains in effect, 2023 is not yet lost.
Trends for 2023:
- The leading edge of Chinese travelers - the experienced and the young - will be seeking new and different destinations.
- Big tour groups will give way to smaller, more specialized tours patronized by those seeking specific kinds of local experiences at destinations.
- Safety - in terms of both freedom from COVID and as related to anti-Asian hate - make the US the bottom-ranked destination on this attribute. The UK and Spain also rank poorly on perceived safety.
- More than before - and because of higher airfare prices and the unavailability of lower-priced tours - Chinese travelers want value along with authenticity and sustainability in their trips
- Chinese travelers want to avoid entry hassles as posed by delays in the issuance of visas - think US - or deliberate imposition of entry restrictions on Chinese travelers as currently practiced by Japan and South Korea as a COVID-preventative measure.
How will Chinese outbound travel play out as summer 2023 approaches? Watch this space.
