China’s international air traffic surged to 80% of pre-COVID levels in April, reflecting Beijing’s tourism revival efforts and the rise in Chinese outbound travel.
China’s international air passenger traffic bounced back to over 80% of pre-COVID levels in April, showcasing Beijing’s efforts to draw more international visitors and the rising trend of Chinese citizens traveling abroad post-pandemic.
In April, approximately 5.1 million international air passenger trips were recorded, as reported by Li Yong, a senior official with the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), during a briefing in Beijing on Friday. This marks the third consecutive month where international air passenger traffic has remained above 80% of pre-pandemic levels, according to Li.
Total air passenger trips, encompassing both domestic and international routes, hit 56 million, reflecting a 10.6% year-over-year growth and a 5.3% increase from 2019, before the pandemic, according to CAAC data.
Since late last year, China has implemented various policy measures to attract more international visitors. Earlier this month, Beijing announced visa-free entry for foreign tour groups arriving via cruise ships and extended visa-free entry to travelers from select European and Asian countries.
Bloomberg Intelligence’s survey indicates that travel sentiment is finally improving within China, with a heightened willingness to spend driving an increase in both domestic and outbound trips. Major international destinations, particularly in Southeast Asia, are seeing a surge in interest, with growing enthusiasm for European travel, according to analyst Tim Bacchus.
The April monthly data for China’s top three airlines mirror these trends.
China Southern Airlines Co., the country’s largest carrier by fleet and passenger volume, reported a 19.8% year-over-year increase in passenger traffic in April. International routes experienced a 143.8% year-over-year growth.
China Southern Airlines experienced a significant increase in domestic traffic, with passenger numbers rising from 10,392,034 in April 2024 to 11,299,963 in May 2024. One of the busiest airline routes in China is between Beijing (PEK) and Shanghai, reflecting the strong demand for travel within the country, According to OAG Report.
For China Eastern Airlines Corp. and Air China Ltd., the year-over-year growth of international passenger traffic in April was 338.56% and 228.9%, respectively.
Meanwhile, Singapore is set to introduce automated lanes that use passport scanning, facial, and iris recognition to allow all international passengers to pass through immigration without prior enrollment. “Singapore may be the first in the world to enable all foreign travelers, including first-time visitors, to use automated lanes without prior enrollment upon arrival and to depart without presenting their passports for immigration clearance,” the authority stated on May 17.
The post China’s Air Travel Soar to 80 Percent of Pre-COVID Levels in April appeared first on Travel And Tour World.
