Comparing to last year, airlines in Asia Pacific saw passenger traffic and carrying capacity in Jan respectively grew 376.3% and 167.1%, from IATA around Mar 9.

Globally, international air passengers and domestic air passengers respectively back to 77% and 97.4% of the pre-pandemic 2019 level, from IATA on Mar 9.

Hong Kong Section of the High-Speed Rail resumed on Mar 11 between Hong Kong and Guangdong various cities, and starting from April, fully resumed services to long-haul destinations outside Guangdong Province. Media reported on Mar 14, Hong Kong travel agent saw business grew around 50% since services resumed, and outbound tour groups during Easter back to around 30 to 40% pre-pandemic level.

Based on its data, C-trip reported bookings of mainland Chinese travelers from Jan 8 to Mar 8 this year grew (a) over 6 times by air ticket to France; and(b) over 23 times by air ticket to Vietnam.

A report published in Feb project China in 2023 will see domestic travelers increase to 4.55 billion which about 76% of 2019.

As border between Hong Kong and mainland China reopened, Cathay will by the end of Mar operate in each week over 110 (x 2) flights to 15 cities in mainland China, and will by the end of the year increase passenger carrying capacity to 70% pre-pandemic level.

By the end of March, total passenger carrying capacity of Cathay and Hong Kong Express will be resumed to around 50% pre-pandemic level, and their flights cover over 70 airports.

From travel portal QUNAR, its booking of China’s hotels during the May Day Holiday as of MAR 8 rose 144 times over similar period in 2019.

In past years, Chinese travelers only started focusing on travel during May Day Holiday in mid-April. Different this year! From C-trip Research, 22% more clients booked hotels 2 months before May Day.

Another major travel agent in Hong Kong also reported its outbound tour groups to Japan during Easter already 90% full and been adding two more tour groups; also popular are tours to SE Asia and long haul routes like Europe; project business now back to 40 to 50% pre-pandemic level but full recovery not happening in this year.

Japan lifted flight restrictions from Hong Kong on Mar 1 and global pandemic continues easing! A major travel agent in Hong Kong reported its some 100 tour groups to Japan during Easter already fully booked, and receives many bookings to Western and Eastern Europe too in March which is non-peak season; travelers in post-pandemic prefer luxury tours; and hopeful that business will return to the pre-pandemic level in the second half of this year.

Running between mainland China and Hong Kong, the speed train which resumed on Jan 15 carried over 1 million passengers by the end of Feb, and its daily average of passenger rose 80%, comparing to Jan, to 28228 in Feb. Moreover, speed train will from April 1 resume long distance trips to, say, Beijing and Shanghai.

Media reported on Mar 2, South Korea government will make efforts to attract more foreign tourists. Arrivals to the country so far in 2023 recovered to about 40% pre-pandemic level.

From mid Feb, Chinese citizens can without visa enter Maldives and stay for at most 30 days. As a result, China’s travel portal report online searches for Maldives hotels jumped by time!

Since border reopening in last Oct, Taiwan attracted nearly 900,000 tourists in 2022 and project attracting 6 million tourists in 2023.

Media reported Indonesia project to attract in 2023 a total of 7.4 million international inbound of whom 250,000 from China.

Media reported Cambodia project to attract in 2023 some 4 million international inbound, and 800,000 to 1 million from China.

Media reported Malaysia project to attract in 2023 a total of 16 million international inbound of whom 5 million from China.

On inbound travelers from China, South Korea will from March 1 stop requiring them to take PCR test on arrival but continue requiring them to produce negative PCR test result before boarding plane to the country until March 10.

Hong Kong government list 22 study tour itineraries to the mainland (China) for F.4 and F.5 students this year who shall participate between April and end of the current school year. Among these 22 itineraries, 8 are for 1 day, 6 for two days, and 8 for 3 days.

Hong Kong government list 22 study tour itineraries to the mainland (China) for F.4 and F.5 students this year who shall participate between April and end of the current school year. Among these 22 itineraries, 8 are for 1 day, 6 for two days, and 8 for 3 days.

China already resumed regular flights with 58 countries, and 98 Chinese and overseas airlines flied 795 flights in the week from Feb 6 to 12 which up 65% comparing to the week from Jan 2 to 8.

55488 Chinese tourists visited Kenya in the first 8 months of 2022, accounting for 6% of all Kenya’s inbound in that period. Over 80000 Chinese tourists visited Kenya in 2019.

From Feb 20, residents of Hong Kong and Macau can enter Taiwan as FIT based on the same conditions as in the past and there is no new requirement.

Reported by media on Feb 6, Hong Kong Airport handle 70000 to 80000 arriving passengers per day at present, which around 40% of pre-pandemic level and is expected to reach 80% of pre-pandemic levels in December.

After lifting travel restrictions, over 10000 Chinese tourists visited Bali of Indonesia between early Jan and early Feb this year. In 2019, Chinese arrivals totaled 1.2 million and made them the second largest inbound to Bali.

A survey which interviewed in last Oct to Nov over 1000 Hong Kong citizens aged between 18 and 65 who are working found 46% will travel abroad within the coming 3 to 6 months with median of their travel spending at HK$22918 (US$2938).

Totally 359288 travelers from the mainland (China) visited Hong Kong between Jan 8 and Feb 6, which up over 4 times the previous 30 days period.

Hong Kong hotels’ occupancy rate over 90% in pre-pandemic time, and after reopening border with the mainland (China) averaged 60%. Only hotels in shopping areas like Mongkok during the Spring Festival rose to 80%.

Nearly 100,000 tourists from China visited Thailand in the first month of 2023, while package tours from China started in early Feb.

A 6 days 4 nights package tour group to UAE cost each traveler RMB16888; while a 10 days north and south islands of New Zealand tour group cost each traveler RMB26000.

In China (mainland), over 140 weekly flights of more than 40 outbound routes will be resumed in Feb of which over 80% to Asian destinations including around 40% to Hong Kong, Macau and Thailand, based on C-trip data by the end of Jan.

Effective from Feb 6, China (mainland) will remove Covid-19 restrictions on inbound travelers from Hong Kong and Macau, which essentially will include abolishing pre-appointment, daily quota; resuming package tour groups for mainland tourists to visit Hong Kong and Macau; stop requiring PCR test for those not been to other countries and regions within the 7 days before entry; and no quarantine for those with normal health report and inspection at border crossing.

An UAE flight departed at 0 hr. 15 min on Feb 6 from Guangzhou, which carried some 50 Chinese travelers, was the country’s first outbound package tour after the past 3 pandemic years.

During the Spring Festival Golden Week this year, residents from mainland China made 741,000 outbound trips, up 94% over same period last year, and of which 104,000 to Hong Kong.

C-trip, China’s major travel portal, report overall its bookings for outbound travel during the Spring Festival Holiday this year grew 640% comparing to last year.

From China Ministry of Culture & Tourism, the country’s travel agents can from Feb 6 stage outbound tour group or sell outbound ticket hotel package to the following countries: Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Laos, UAE, Egypt, Kenya, South Africa, Russia, Switzerland, Hungary, New Zealand, Fiji, Cuba and Argentina.

Some 451,000 inbound travelers, up 297% over last year, visited Macau in the Spring Festival Holiday between Jan 21 and 27, of whom 58.6% mainland Chinese and 36.6% or 165,000 Hong Kong residents.

A total of 453,195 Hong Kong citizens departed the city in the 5 days of Spring Festival Holiday from Jan 21 to 25 this year, which up nearly 50 times the number same period last year.

From above survey, 71% of those interested in outbound consider trip from 5 to 10 days, and 45% has a travel budget below RMB20000 or US$2950.

A survey which interviewed 1058 mainland Chinese from 49 cities between Jan 4 and 7 found 40% respondents not planning for outbound trip / holiday in 2023; and rebound of outbound travel will at first rise slowly, quicken in July and continue into Sep and Oct.

Our office will be closed from 23 Jan (Mon) to 25 Jan (Wed) for Chinese New Year Holiday. Normal business will resume on 26 Jan (Thu) 2023. Should you have any enquiries, please feel free to contact us via WhatsApp 852 69361271 or email to travel@tkshk.com

A sentiment survey by a marketing agency in Dec 2022 found over half of the polled mainland Chinese travelers ready to travel soon after restrictions lifted; while another 32% plan traveling within two years. Also, over half will spend more on travel in coming year than they did in pre-pandemic time.

With China reopening border on Jan 8, Thailand recently predict tourist arrivals from China will reach 300,000 in the first quarter, and to 5 million in the year of 2023.

Data from Cirium, an aviation analytics company, show scheduled inbound flights to China in the first quarter this year increased nearly 150%, comparing to same period in 2022.

With China reopening border on Jan 8, Thailand recently predict tourist arrivals from China will reach 300,000 in the first quarter, and to 5 million in the year of 2023.

Media reported on Jan 16 that China expects by the end of March the number of international flights to increase to around 15% to 25% of the pre-pandemic levels.

On Jan 12, Hong Kong Airlines reported operating 30 flights per day in Jan which around 30% pre-pandemic level. Further, it predicts overall capacity will be increased to 70% pre-pandemic by the end of this year, and 100% by middle of next year.

On Jan 13, some travel agents received over 100 phone enquiries within a few hours after the High Speed train started selling ticket, express hope to get approval to resume package tour groups to the mainland and predict business will increase by 30 to 40%.

China recently received applications from some 40 Chinese and foreign airlines to start some 700 flights a week to 34 countries from second half of Jan to Feb, media reported on Jan 11.

Macau on Jan 9, which soon after Macau relax border restrictions, received 35450 arrivals and among them 5769 came from Hong Kong, which respectively up 1.2 times and 3 times the daily average last year.

From Jan 13 to Mar 31, Hong Kong residents buying cross border bus or ferry ticket to Macau will get a free return ticket, but the free ticket must have a date different from the departure date which means the Hong Kong traveler shall at least stay one night in Macau.

Attending the Toy Fair held by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (TDC) in the second week of January this year were 250 exhibitors from mainland China, of whom 120 from Guangdong.

A total of 5046 travelers from the mainland, an increase of 230% compared to Jan 1, entered Hong Kong on Jan 8 which the first day when the border reopened.

KLOOK, a leading Travel Portal surveyed 9 Asian markets, namely, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam, on their travel behavior in 2023, media reported in end Dec of 2022. It found Asian travelers more inclined planning longer overseas holiday. Specifically, over 50% prepared to plan holiday longer than 6 days.

The above survey around 81% respondents anticipate take an overseas holiday in 2023, and 42% even will plan at least taking 2 such trips.

Located in the northeastern part of China, the Jilin Province has by the end of 2022 has 75 skiing grounds which can handle daily around 100,000 skiers, and rank top in the country. Reportedly, tourists from southern parts of China now account for over 50% of clients

In the first phase, the border between mainland and Hong Kong will reopen from Jan 8. Daily, 60000 travelers from Hong Kong can cross border into the mainland by land, air, ferry or Bus via the Mega Bridge. Travelers via land crossings shall, before departure, check first if required to register online. Latest on Jan 15, Hong Kong and Shenzhen will conduct a review and discuss about arrangement in the next phase.

According to the Hong Kong Secretary of Transport, high speed train services will be resumed the latest on Jan 15.

Cathay will more than double number of flights to the mainland. From Jan 14, weekly there will be 61 pairs of flights connecting Hong Kong with 13 mainland cities. The Airline targets to increase to over 100 pairs of flight each week in March.

C-trip, China’s leading travel portal, reported on Jan 2 that bookings of outbound air ticket during the New Year Holiday grew 145% over last year, while bookings for coming Spring Festival Holiday grew 260%. Popular outbound destinations include Taipei, Macau, Seoul, Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Tokyo, London, LA and Sydney.

China Ministry of Culture & Tourism project the country’s domestic travelers during the New Year Holiday totaled 52.71 million, up 0.44% over last year but only around 42.8% of 2019 level; who generate tourism revenue of RMB26.52 billion, which up 4% over last year.

The HSBC survey found those between 35 and 44 spend an average of HK$73000 per month; between 35 and 44 spending HK$73000 per month; between 28 and 34 spending monthly HK$50000; and those between 23 and 27 spending monthly HK$27000.

Based on spending of its account and credit card holders in first 11 months of 2022, HSBC found those between 45 and 64 spend 45% to 54% of their monthly spending on leisure, entertainment and travel, and rank top spender among other age groups.

The HSBC study found by total monthly spending those aged between 45 and 55 with average spending of HK$83000 ranked top, which followed by those between 55 and 64 who on average spend HK$74000 per month.