A recently released data to the public revealed that China holds the record as the world's largest number of outbound tourists. Based on the data released by the National Bureau of Statistics, Chinese tourists number have reached a staggering 135 million in 2016 and that figure is expected to hit 157 million by 2020.
This new data revealed just how big China's outbound tourist market is. A similar study conducted in 1995 revealed that on that year, China's outbound tourist numbers only hit about 5 million. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the data revealed an average annual increase of 17.6 million and China was able to sustain this growth for 21 consecutive years. The bureau added that China recorded the most outbound tourists in 2013 when counted on annual terms.
According to the China Tourism Academy, an institution working under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the outbound tourism market in the country is estimated to hit an annual average increase of about 5 percent within the coming years. Based on this conservative estimate alone, China's outbound tourism market is expected to hit an annual traffic of 157 million in 2020.
Last year alone, more than 144 million Chinese tourists have traveled to various tourist destinations of the world. Among to top destinations of Chinese outbound tourists in India. Overall, Chinese tourists spent more than $115 billion last year.
Recent data revealed that Chinese tourists have consistently ranked as top spenders when it comes to international tourism since 2012. Data also revealed that from 2002 to 2013, Chinese outbound tourists grew annually by factors of up to double digits.
Many top Chinese companies are also riding on with this sudden surge of outbound tourists. Prominent online payment platform Alipay recently announced that it is offering its digital services to at least 40 overseas tourist destinations. Alipay's new tourism partners are focused mainly in Asia and Europe. Among those confirmed by the company include 10 airports, Chinatowns, business districts, and shopping malls.
Alipay's mobile payment platform is now available in more than 90 percent of shops that are affiliated tourists destinations. Some of these businesses are offering major discounts to Chinese tourists that are using Alipay's payment platform.
In a report filed by Ctrip, China's leading online travel services provider, it is expected that Chinese tourists will flock neighboring destinations such as Thailand, Japan, and the Republic of Korea as the country celebrates the National Day holiday which will run from Oct.1 to Oct 7.
