The past Chinese New Year holiday just witnessed a surge in China's outbound tourism. According to statistics released by China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism, around 3.6 million overseas trips were made by Chinese tourists during the holiday.

International observers said that this increase has not only contributed to the growth of the international tourism industry, but also provided a boost to the global economic recovery.

On the second day of the Chinese New Year, the Siam Square, a shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand, was crowded with tourists. Xiaolan, a tourist from Shanghai, told People's Daily that there has been a noticeable increase in the number of people travelling to Thailand ever since Thailand announced a five-month visa-free policy for Chinese tourists last September.

To attract more Chinese tourists, several Southeast Asian countries have successively implemented visa-free policies.

Starting from Dec. 1, 2023, Malaysia has implemented a 30-day visa-free policy for Chinese citizens. On Jan. 28 this year, China and Thailand signed an agreement on visa exemption for holders of ordinary passports, which will officially take effect on March 1.

On February 9, an agreement between China and Singapore on visa exemption for holders of ordinary passports officially took effect. On that day, many Chinese tourists entered Singapore, experiencing the convenience brought by the visa-free policy. During the Chinese New Year, Singapore's landmark Gardens by the Bay specifically hosted a special lantern fair, attracting many Chinese tourists.

Egypt was one of the main destinations for Chinese tourists during the Chinese New Year holiday. On February 10, a special ceremony was held at the Cairo International Airport to welcome Chinese tourists spending the Chinese New Year in Egypt.

Ibrahim, marketing manager of a travel agency in Egypt, said that Chinese outbound tourism has brought tremendous benefits to his company.

In mid-January, China announced unilateral visa-free treatment for Switzerland, and Switzerland also provided visa convenience for Chinese citizens and companies investing in Switzerland.

According to the World Travel Market Global Travel Report, the value of China's outbound tourism is projected to increase by 131 percent from 2024 to 2033.

Thai government spokesperson Chai Wacharonke said that with the Thailand-China visa exemption agreement set to take effect on March 1, it is expected that more Chinese tourists will choose Thailand as their destination. This will further boost the growth of Thailand's tourism industry and bring more vitality to the country's economic development.

Bojan Lalic, director of the Institute for Belt and Road Studies in Belgrade, noted that since the visa exemption policy between Serbia and China came into effect in 2017, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Serbia has been continuously increasing, promoting economic development and cultural exchanges between the two countries.

In recent years, Chinese tourists have become more diverse and individualized in their outbound travel preferences and demands. They now place greater emphasis on experiencing the natural environment, cultural history, and local lifestyle of their destinations.