On Jan. 8, 2023—almost a year ago—Beijing ended one of its toughest COVID-zero measures: its system of mandatory quarantine for international arrivals. After years of closed borders, those entering China, including Chinese citizens who had to travel overseas, no longer needed to spend days in isolation. It was an exciting development for many outside the country as well, with tourist destinations around the world preparing for a wave of Chinese visitors, ready to travel and spend after years of being stuck at home.
But while outbound travel in much of the rest of the world largely returned to pre-pandemic levels in 2023, one segment of the travel economy is still missing: Chinese tourists. The hoped-for rebound failed to materialize, as Chinese tourists pivoted to domestic tourism instead of overseas travel.
