Luxury holiday operators and airlines are positive about the outlook for China's tourism industry as the sector has remained robust, said business insiders.
"Even with the slowdown of the global economy, China's economic growth and consumption power compared to other parts of the world are still way ahead, especially in the tourism industry," said Gino Andreetta, CEO of Club Med China, a world-renowned luxury resort brand.
He added that even though the international situation might affect certain industries like import-export, the outlook for regional tourism in China is optimistic as demand for holidays as a means of escape and to explore new experiences was constantly increasing.
A cruise ship sails off Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province. /VCG Photo
"High-end tourism is a new form of tourism that has emerged after the development of national tourism in China. It has resulted from the improvement of the overall economy, the improvement of people's living standards, and the individualization of consumption habits," he said.
Airline operators are also positive about the industry's outlook.
"Airline operators are always among the first to sense a change in the economy. If the economy is good, they'll operate more flights," said Li Ping, assistant manager of the business department of Juneyao Airlines, adding that the airline has confidence in China's outbound travel. The company recently announced a new route between Shanghai and Helsinki under a code-share cooperation with Finnair.
Chinese tourists in Rovaniemi, Finland. /VCG Photo
Akbar Al Baker, group chief executive of Qatar Airways, said: "China is the largest outbound tourism market in the world and in 2018, we saw a significant growth of 38 percent in the number of Chinese visitors from the previous year."
Domestically, many airports, especially in the first-tier cities, are getting ready for the July and August summer travel peak, when many students and their families travel for summer vacations. More than half of the tourists chose to travel abroad this summer, with the number hitting a record high, according to China’s online travel agencies.
(With input from China Daily)
Copyright © 2018 CGTN. Beijing ICP prepared NO.16065310-3
Copyright © 2018 CGTN. Beijing ICP prepared NO.16065310-3