Chinese Tourism Starting to Climb Back?

Posted on 27 February, 2023 by Spacejunkie2

Chinese tourism is starting to climb back, according to COTRI (China Outbound Tourism Research Institute).

COTRI said in a prepared statement that the speed of the recovery process is impressive with reports from many cities indicating that it takes only about a week to get a new passport and that travel restrictions are also falling by the wayside quickly.

The clash between South Korea and China over discriminatory treatment seems to be over. South Koreans can now get visas for China again and the South Korean government has ended special treatment for the Chinese, COTRI said.

European Union countries have reportedly also agreed to phase out COVID-19 restrictions on travellers from China and will also stop random testing of travellers from China by the middle of March.

Chinese companies have also started investing in outbound tourism infrastructure again with the Shanghai retailer Yuyuan Tourist Mart announcing plans to invest about US$120 million in a Japanese ski resort project on Hokkaido.

Airlines are bringing back a multitude of routes to and from China and ticket prices are in most cases back to pre-pandemic levels, according to COTRI.

Business, studies and family reunions are major reasons for the first outbound travellers, the research institute said, but the first leisure tourists have already been sighted not only in the neighbouring countries but also in Sydney, Paris and Milan.

It was less than two months ago that Chinese citizens could again apply for passports and just two weeks ago that Chinese tour operators were officially allowed to sell outbound trips for what is called “group travel” to 20 destinations, even though most customers are said just to buy air tickets and hotel reservations.

Contributing to the interest in travel, COTRI said, are all the marriages that have been put on hold during COVID, expecting to result in a wave of honeymoon trips.

The year 2022 ended with a total number of outbound trips below nine million, about 5 per cent of the 2019 level. Five million of these trips went no further than Macau. Hong Kong welcomed 375,000 mainlanders, five times the number of 2021, but still less than 1 per cent of the 2019 arrivals.

Assuming no further disruptions or an attack on Taiwan, COTRI said, Chinese travellers could make the steep climb back to the top of all international tourism source markets during the current year.

COTRI is a research organization for the China outbound tourism market-based in Hamburg, Germany.

Cruising Returns to Xiamen, China

Posted on 13 July, 2022 by Spacejunkie2

After a 900-day gap, Xiamen, China, is now officially opened for domestic cruising, according to a local news report.

On July 2, the former Viking Sun, now operating as the Zhao Shang Yi Dun, marked the return of cruise operations to the Chinese port as part of a new itinerary in the region.

The five-night cruise departs from Shenzhen and includes a call in Xiamen, in addition to two full days at sea.

After leaving the Viking fleet last year, the Zhao Shang Yi Dun has been offering domestic cruising in China since October 2021.

At the time, the 930-passenger vessel – which is now operated by a joint-venture between Viking and China Merchants Shekou – kicked off a program of cruises to Sanya.

The ship’s new operation is hoped to revive the cruise economy and the cultural tourism industry in Xiamen, the news report added.

Previously one of the biggest homeports in the country, the Xiamen International Cruise Terminal had been out of service since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While a new 68,000-square meter cruise terminal is set to be completed later this year, the port’s current facilities underwent a renovation before the return of the cruise passengers.

The port is also undergoing a major development project known as the Sea World. The commercial building complex is expected to open in September and was planned to, among other goals, improve the core competitiveness and influence of the region.

In 2019, before the outbreak of the pandemic, Xiamen is said to have received a total of 136 cruise ships, in addition to 413,700 passengers.

Sailing under the Chinese flag, the Zhao Shang Yi Dun is currently the only cruise ship in revenue service in China.

While international brands redeployed vessels that were previously sailing in the country, local cruise operators continue to have their entire fleets in operational pause.

First Carnival China Newbuild Cruise Ship Floats Out

Posted on 20 December, 2021 by Spacejunkie2

The first Carnival China Cruise Shipping newbuild was floated out last week at Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC).

“We at Carnival are committed to supporting to CSSC and our joint venture CSSC Carnival which is the foundation of Carnival’s China strategy,” said Arnold Donald, CEO of Carnival Corporation, in a video address celebrating the float out of hull 1508.

“We are committed to building CSSC Carnival into a successful and fully functioning Chinese-flagged cruise company,” Donald continued.

The ship is one of two on order for Carnival’s joint venture brand with CSSC, where Carnival is a minority partner. The brand will serve the domestic Chinese market and has already taken ownership of Costa Atlantica and Costa Mediterranea.

The new ship touched water for the first time in Shanghai, and will now move to an interior fit-out stage before her delivery in 2023. A sister ship will follow in 2024; there is an option for four additional ships on the contract.

The new builds are on the Carnival Vista-class platform, with CSSC working in partnership with Fincantieri.