Travellers check-in for a Hainan Airlines flight to Beijing, China, at Pulkovo International Airport, St. Petersburg, Russia. Hainan Airlines resumed direct flights between Beijing and St. Petersburg, February 19, 2023. /CFP
China's tourism market will continue to rebound in 2023, mostly recovering by the summer, China Tourism Academy predicted in a report on Monday.
Domestic tourism in 2023 is projected to reach 4.55 billion visits, a 73 percent year-on-year increase that will bring it to 76 percent of 2019 levels, according to the report.
Meanwhile, domestic tourism revenue will reach 4 trillion yuan ($583 billion), an 89 percent year-on-year increase.
The number of inbound and outbound tourists is expected to exceed 90 million in 2023, doubling year-on-year, thanks to China easing travel restrictions in January this year.
Earlier this month, China's travel agencies and online travel companies resumed outbound group travel and package holidays for Chinese citizens to selected countries.
More than 40 outbound routes have resumed operations in February, according to data from online travel company Ctrip.