Global tourism booming again in post-COVID world

CGTN Europe

Tourism is back to pre pandemic levels for the first time. That's according to the latest data revealed at the World Travel Market in London.  Over 2.8 billion dollars' worth of deals are expected to be completed at this year's event. #tourism #london #vacation #travel

Transcript

00:00The World Travel Market in London, one of the industry's most prominent gatherings.

00:07There was a buzz here as travel experts celebrate a rapid rebound from the pandemic.

00:13Data from Oxford Economics shows that traveller numbers and spending this year

00:18are on track to outpace pre-pandemic levels.

00:22It's a pretty universal picture we're seeing in terms of the growth, in terms of the recovery.

00:28It has been those countries that opened up earlier.

00:31It has been sort of the developed economies have led the way.

00:35What we're seeing now that's not come back yet has been the Chinese traveller

00:39and also from some other parts of Asia just due to some of the slower opening up

00:43and a little bit more caution amongst those travellers.

00:45But that is now the fastest growing segment of travel,

00:48the fastest growing source market would be China.

00:52We expect a return to 2019 levels of Chinese travel by about 2026.

00:59While global travel companies set their sights on Chinese tourists,

01:03China itself is equally eager to attract international visitors,

01:08showcasing its rich tourism landscape with traditional performances.

01:13Recently the country has expanded its visa-free policies to additional countries

01:18including Slovakia, Norway and Finland.

01:21We're rolling out new travel packages to match China's updated visa-free policies.

01:27With most countries offering 15-day stays, we're designing 15-day itineraries to fit in.

01:33Customers from different countries may have different preferences.

01:36For instance, our European clients prefer more in-depth experiences.

01:40They are particularly drawn to places like northern China's Datong,

01:43a destination rich in cultural heritage.

01:46Before the pandemic in 2019, the World Travel and Tourism Council said

01:51global tourism spending reached an historic high, accounting for over 10% of global GDP.

01:58Industry leaders now expect that momentum to pick up and continue for years to come.

02:04But as the sector returns to growth, experts say there must be more focus on sustainability.

02:11I think that there's a lack of consistency or industry standard in terms of sustainability certification.

02:17Different countries, different hotels, different partners are actually adopting different certifications or standards.

02:22I think that's creating some kind of inconsistency and inappropriate practices across different partners itself.

02:28Global tourism is back in full flight, but the journey ahead brings fresh challenges and high stakes.

02:35And the industry aims to capture hearts and markets worldwide.

02:39The real question is how to make the industry more sustainable in the face of climate change.

02:44Li Jianhua, CGTN, London.

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