China lifts bans on group tours to US, Japan and other key markets
economictimes.indiatimes.comChina has lifted pandemic-era restrictions on group tours for more countries, including key markets such as the United States, Japan, South Korea and Australia in a potential boon for their tourism industries. The decision was announced by China's culture and tourism ministry on Thursday, effective immediately. Prior to the pandemic, mainland Chinese tourists spent more than any other country's tourists when abroad, clocking up a combined $255 billion in 2019 with group tours estimated to account for roughly 60% of that.
Their absence since the pandemic has led to financial troubles for many tourism-dependent businesses around the globe. Germany and Britain were also among the countries for which restrictions were lifted but Canada, which has had especially politically fraught relations with China of late, was not reinstated. It was China's third list of countries to receive approvals.
The first batch approved in January included 20 countries such as Thailand, Russia, Cuba and Argentina. The second batch in March included 40 countries, among them Nepal, France, Portugal and Brazil. China has never explained its staggered approach to approvals but analysts have noted that the countries taking time to gain approval have had more political and/or trade tension with the world's second-largest economy.
The move was welcomed by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida as well as tourism ministers in South Korea and Australia, who said it would boost their economies. «This is another positive step towards the stabilisation of our relationship with China,» said Australian Trade and Tourism Minister Don Farrell. Just how much outbound Chinese tourism will bounce back for the latest group of countries remains to be seen.
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