Domestic tourism revenues reached pre-Covid-19 epidemic levels during the long holiday week, which coincides with the National Day, the 74th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, and the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival celebrated according to the lunar calendar.
According to the statement made by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture of China, during the 8-day holiday covering September 29-October 6, 826 million people traveled within the country and the total income from domestic tourism increased to 753.4 billion yuan ($103 billion).
During the first National Day Week holiday after Covid-19 restrictions were lifted at the end of last year, the number of tourists increased by 4.1 percent compared to 2019, and domestic tourism revenues increased by 1.5 percent, reaching pre-pandemic levels.
While the number of tourists increased by 71 percent compared to 2022, when travel restrictions were imposed due to the Covid-19 epidemic, a 130 percent increase in tourism revenues was recorded.
Despite the increase in revenues, the amount of expenditure per tourist remained 2 percent below 2019.
This year, during the Spring Festival holiday on January 21-27, the first holiday period after Covid-19, the number of tourists reached 73.1 percent of the 2019 level before the epidemic, and tourism revenues reached 88.6 percent.
During the May 1 Labor Day holiday between April 29 and May 3, the number of tourists increased by 19 percent and tourism revenues increased by 0.7 percent compared to 2019.
The Covid-19 epidemic had dealt a blow to tourism
Quarantine and travel restrictions imposed in China in 2022 due to epidemics triggered by Omicron cases in many cities across the country had a negative impact on domestic tourism during holiday periods.
While travel restrictions were imposed in many cities, including the country's largest cities, Shanghai, Beijing, Xinjiang and Guangzhou, during holiday periods due to outbreaks caused by the Omicron variant of Covid-19, citizens were advised not to "go out of town".