"China's Outbound Tourism Development Annual Report 2024" released online

On March 26, our institute hosted the "Annual Landmark Achievements Release Conference of China Tourism Academy", and released a total of 8 landmark research results. Dr. Yang Jinsong, Director of the International Exchange and Finance Department (Publicity and Promotion Department) of our institute, released the "Annual Report on the Development of China's Outbound Tourism 2024" (hereinafter referred to as the "Report") on behalf of the research team.

The report points out that the outbound tourism market of Chinese citizens will reach 146 million person-times in 2024, close to the level of 2019.

1. Remarkable recovery and a certain future

Figure 1 Number of Chinese outbound tourists from 2014 to 2024 2. The structure of source and destination countries remains stable

The flow of outbound tourism still shows a clear characteristic of being dominated by short-distance destinations. The "big tropics" represented by surrounding regions such as Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia are stable, and surrounding destinations remain popular. Among the top 20 outbound tourism destinations, the highest proportion of choosing China's Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan (30.0%), followed by Southeast Asia: accounting for 14.7%, and the third is Northeast Asia, mainly Japan and South Korea: accounting for 10.6%. Next is North America: accounting for 8.7%, with the main destination being the United States. European destinations account for 6.7%, and Oceania accounts for 2.5%.

Figure 2 Distribution of outbound tourist source proportion and monthly average proportion of tourist source in each province from January to November 2024

Guangdong, Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shandong and other provinces and cities have relatively high outbound tourist numbers, and are the main source markets for outbound tourism in mainland my country. In terms of the proportion of source tourists, the proportion of outbound tourism in Guangdong Province, Beijing and Shanghai is higher than that of other provinces and cities in each month.

Figure 3 Distribution of outbound tourism destinations by continent Among intercontinental outbound tourism destinations, Asia continues to occupy the largest share, followed by Europe, North America, Oceania, Africa and South America.

The "megatropics" represented by surrounding regions such as Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia are stable, and surrounding destinations remain popular.

Big data of outbound tourists from January to November 2024 shows that the surrounding destination markets are favored by tourists. The top tourist destinations in each region attract the largest proportion of tourists. For example, in the Asian region, China's Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan regions attract more than 30% of Chinese outbound tourists. Among Southeast Asian destinations, Thailand, Myanmar and Vietnam attract more than 10% of Chinese outbound tourists. Among Northeast Asian destinations, Japan and South Korea also attract more than 10% of Chinese outbound tourists. Among the destinations in North America and Oceania, the United States and Australia also occupy the largest and most important share. At the same time, China's outbound tourism destinations are showing a more diversified trend. In 2024, Chinese outbound tourists visited more than 210 countries or regions. There are nearly 20 countries or regions with more than one million outbound visitors, and more than 60 countries or regions with more than 100,000 outbound visitors.

Figure 4 Distribution of major outbound tourism destinations in 2024 (January-November)

In the future, outbound tourism destinations and product and service choices will increasingly show a trend of differentiated development.

In terms of spatial structure, although short-distance destinations are still the mainstay, Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia short-distance destinations continue to be favored, and the outbound destinations along the Belt and Road Initiative are increasingly attracting Chinese tourists. However, this does not mean that some long-distance destinations will become less popular due to the rapid improvement of restrictions such as visas and flights, as well as the sudden increase in brand and attractiveness.

In the future, the attractiveness of short-distance destinations to Chinese outbound tourists will be more clearly differentiated. There may be uneven popularity among short-distance destinations, or even within a certain outbound destination country or region.

The existing outbound tourism destinations along the “Belt and Road” will usher in more colorful “new” discoveries, and new destinations will also be included in people’s vision, bringing more colorful travel experiences to Chinese and foreign tourists.

3. Consumption characteristics of outbound tourism

Combined with big data analysis, the China Tourism Academy conducted a questionnaire survey on the needs and future intentions of tourists from 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities in China for outbound tourism. Overall, respondents are more concerned about cost-effectiveness, food and accommodation conditions, and look forward to novel experiences. They prefer to travel with friends and family. Safety and attractiveness are important factors affecting outbound tourists' choice of tourist destinations. Scenic spot visits are the most important items for overseas travel. Outbound tourists most want to participate in entertainment activities. There is an urgent need to ensure service quality and reduce travel prices. They also hope to visit destinations with special food and cultural relics.

Figure 5 Factors affecting outbound tourists’ choice of travel destinations in 2024

In the first three quarters of 2024, 23.9% of outbound tourists complained when traveling, and 76.1% had no complaints, which was lower than the complaint rates of 31.7% in 2019 and 27.20% in 2023 before the epidemic.

Respondents prefer to travel with friends and family; most outbound tourists tend to spend one to two weeks visiting 3-5 tourist attractions; most are willing to arrange overseas travel activities through travel agencies; when choosing a travel agency, tourists pay more attention to the travel agency website and the size of the travel agency; accommodation options have changed, and cost-effective accommodation has become the main choice for outbound tourists.

Future outbound tourists will most want to participate in entertainment activities and urgently need to ensure service quality and reduce travel prices; online social media is the most important channel for obtaining information; time, language and budget are the most important factors affecting future outbound tourism; self-guided tours will still be dominant, and travel forms will be more diversified.

Figure 6 Distribution of attention to factors affecting future outbound tourism

The information that tourists search for before traveling abroad is mainly about the customs and habits of the tourist destination and accommodation information; safety and attractiveness are important factors that influence outbound tourists' choice of tourist destinations.

IV. Major outbound destinations strengthen promotion and product and service innovation

In 2024, major outbound destination countries and regions have taken various actions and measures to attract and facilitate Chinese tourists. Travel agencies have launched targeted family tours, parent-child tours, study tours, vacation tours and other niche products to major source markets, and even specially accompany tourists to taste local specialties, seasonal seafood, or deeply experience local music, art, crafts and folk customs.

In 2024, outbound tourism enterprises will respond to changes in market demand with innovation, restart and enrich outbound tourism business. Outbound tourism enterprises not only attach importance to product and technological innovation, deepen tourism experience with creative innovation, and continuously enrich tourism product supply, but also, as tourists' demand gradually tends to quality and diversification, tourism enterprises adjust product structure in a timely manner, stabilize group tourism products, and strengthen the research and development and supply of customized tours, free travel and other products. At the same time, accelerate the return of outbound tourism business personnel, stabilize the core team, do a good job in training new recruits, and improve business quality and professional ability; simultaneously use new methods such as intelligent operation, intelligent management, and online marketing to improve operational efficiency and service effects through the application of technology. The operating conditions of the leading market players are also improving rapidly.

In the future, outbound tourism destinations and market players will invest more resources, innovate more proactively, and strengthen promotions more frequently. There will also be more intense competition for satisfaction among outbound tourism destinations.

5. Promote the development of outbound tourism with the world tourism community as the guide

The development goal of outbound tourism is anchored on the good life of the Chinese people and sharing it with the people of the world. It is people-centered and better meets people's demand for characteristic and multi-level outbound tourism. It is no longer aimed at a simple surplus in tourism service trade. It creates conditions for tourists from different source areas to better participate in and enjoy outbound tourism, and significantly improves the participation, sense of gain and satisfaction of outbound tourists.

Accelerate the process of visa facilitation and flight increase and optimization. Further improve the value of Chinese passports, strive to sign agreements on mutual exemption of ordinary passport visas with more destinations, strive for more visa treatment for Chinese citizens in terms of visa exemption, visa on arrival, electronic visa, visa fee reduction, etc., and promote the ADS+ process. Support and actively promote the construction and development of border tourism pilot zones and cross-border tourism cooperation zones to form a new driving force for the development of outbound tourism. Innovate and improve destination development and product supply strategies that can give full play to the advantages of the "Belt and Road" initiative, and promote "Belt and Road" overseas destinations with high security, high satisfaction and high attractiveness.

Support outbound tourism destinations to develop China's outbound tourism market and actively promote two-way interaction between domestic and foreign tourists. Promote the internationalization of Chinese tourism enterprises based on the development of outbound tourism. Study the "tourist exchange plan" with important outbound tourism destination countries to promote large-scale two-way exchanges of tourists with relevant countries or regions. Cultivate and form a series of international tourism exhibitions with Chinese outbound tourism as the theme, which are attractive and appealing.

We will better leverage the role of relevant mechanisms and the Cultural Tourism Year, increase the convenience of outbound tourism, promote the attention to detail of outbound tourism destinations, and ensure the safety and quality of China's outbound tourism experience. We will leverage the initiative of local and market entities, strengthen the connection between source areas and destinations, and develop more outbound tourism products and services that meet people's yearning for a better life.

Taking satisfaction as the starting point, we will promote outbound tourism destinations to improve the quality of products and services, improve public services and standardize market order. We will strive to create more convenience for domestic and foreign tourists to travel between each other. We will systematically guarantee the safety, convenience, equality and quality of Chinese citizens' overseas travel, and guide and promote government departments, public institutions, commercial organizations and industry associations in various countries and regions to provide Chinese citizens with safer, more convenient and high-quality travel services.

Use market scale to drive the enhancement of industry influence and promote mutual learning among civilizations. Actively promote exchanges and cooperation with travel agencies, OTAs, travel wholesale retailers and other commercial organizations in outbound tourism destinations. Promote new technologies such as AI to empower the development of outbound tourism, and continuously improve the service capabilities and service quality of serving Chinese citizens' outbound tourism. Actively carry out training or education for Chinese citizens' outbound tourism, and give full play to the role of travel agencies operating outbound tourism business. Continue to improve the civilized quality of outbound tourism of the people, and promote tourists to consciously abide by the laws and regulations of outbound tourism destinations and abide by local customs and habits. Encourage and support the "going out" pace of payment methods such as China UnionPay credit cards, Alipay or WeChat Pay, and guide more countries' airports and other transportation hubs, tourist attractions, commercial institutions, etc. to support Alipay or WeChat Pay.

Contributor | "China Outbound Tourism Development Annual Report 2024" Research Group Editor | Liu Xin Source | China Tourism Academy (Data Center of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism) Please indicate the source for reprinting