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China maintained locked-downs and other restrictions much longer than most other countries, enforcing a “zero-COVID” policy until last December. But a hoped-for consumer spending boom after the lifting of restrictions hasn’t materialized, as many Chinese remain cautious with an unfolding Planes and high-speed trains were heavily booked over the holiday. The tourism ministry said that 826 million domestic trips were made, up 4.1% from 2019 and 71.3% from last year.
Domestic tourism benefited somewhat from a slower recovery in international travel as people chose to travel at home. The number of flights to and from China remains below pre-pandemic levels, and reports of overseas crime and scams — including a recentChina’s border authorities processed 11.
Booking agency Trip.com said that outbound travel volume during the holiday was more than eight times higher than in 2022. Popular destinations included Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and South Korea, and travel to more distant countries such as Switzerland, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and France grew compared to the last major national holiday in May.