Tourists check in at Hongqiao International Airport in Shanghai on December 12, 2022, after China eased domestic travel restrictions.
Qilai Shen | Bloomberg | beautiful pictures
BEIJING — Now, as China prepares to reopen its borders, locals are rushing to plan overseas travel for the Lunar New Year in late January, according to Trip.com Group.
Within half an hour of China announcing the policy change, searches for outbound travel jumped to a three-year high, the travel booking company said.
Japan, Thailand, South Korea, the US, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and the UK made the list of the 10 fastest-growing destinations outside the mainland, the company said. Macao and Hong Kong also make the list, which does not include any countries on mainland Europe.
China’s National Health Commission announced late on Monday that starting January 8, domestic tourists will No longer need to quarantine upon arrival on land, ending a policy of nearly three years.
Authorities also said they would allow Chinese nationals to resume travel without providing details about the timing or process.
During the pandemic, Beijing has prevented Chinese citizens from obtaining passports or leaving the country unless they have a clear reason, typically for business.
Lunar New Year, also known as Spring Festival, is one of the biggest holidays in China. In 2023, the holiday runs from January 21 to 27.
