Chinese reluctant to travel overseas despite of COVID curbs reopening

Tuesday, December 6, 2022

According to a survey, even if borders would reopen tomorrow, more than half of Chinese would put off travel abroad for periods several months to more than a year.

Despite some domestic easing of curbs after last month’s unprecedented COVID protests, Mainland China retains some of the world’s most stringent measures on PCR testing and quarantine for international travellers.

Released by consultancy Oliver Wyman, fear of infection with the disease was the top concern of those they would post – pone travel in a survey of 4000 consumers in China. As well as with worries about changes to domestic re – entry guidelines in second place.

According to the statement made by Imke Wouters, a retail and consumer goods partner at the firm, people have become cautious. So even when they travel, they might not come back right away.

In the study of ‘China Consumption Recovery’ the consultancy declared that as many as 51 percent of those surveyed plan to delay international travel. And when they would do it, short – haul destinations would be the first to benefit.

However, 34 percent of respondents said that the Asian financial hub of Hong Kong would be their first stop after the reopening.

The 20th Congress of the ruling Communist Party in Beijing, which brought President Xi Jinping a precedent – breaking third term as leader, at an event many had hoped would herald an opening up after COVID, as the late October survey noted.

China was formerly the world’s largest outbound tourism market, but its overseas visitors, who spent $127.5bn on such trips in 2019, have virtually disappeared after it shut International borders in Early 2020 and curbed non – essential travel by citizens.

Though analysts have warned of the reopening, China’s uncompromising ‘zero – COVID’ effort hit the economy hard, and it is expected to reshape policies soon.

Wouters stated that Chinese consumers still showed a willingness to boost spending next year if conditions improve. While the report found consumer sentiment subdued by lockdowns and economic uncertainty.

According to the news media hey don’t expect to see the same boom in luxury spending that they saw in 2021. Also added by her was that whatever growth they do would be seen by Gen Z.

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