STORY: China's National Day holiday traveling spree a boon for global tourism
DATELINE: Oct. 1, 2023
LENGTH: 00:02:38
LOCATION: Beijing
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Chinese tourists
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): PHILLIPA HARRISON, Managing director of Tourism Australia
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): LELISE DUGA, Commissioner of Ethiopia's Oromia Tourism Commission
4. various of Chinese tourists

STORYLINE:

As the National Day holiday kicks off, millions of Chinese have decided to shun "staycations" and embark on journeys to explore the world.

Many countries have rolled out policies ahead of the holiday this year to welcome more tourists.

Australia, for example, recommenced the visa process for Chinese group travelers.

Tourism Australia, the Australian government agency responsible for attracting international visitors to Australia, greeted the first Chinese tour group that arrived in the country on Friday.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): PHILLIPA HARRISON, Managing director of Tourism Australia
"We are ready for the Chinese market to come back and we can't wait to welcome them. We have seen a steady increase in numbers from the China market. We anticipate that we'll be back to pre-COVID levels by sometime in 2024. And I can tell you that the Australian tourism industry has been waiting for this moment. The Australian tourism industry is ready to welcome Chinese travelers back to Australia."

In a recent interview with Xinhua, Lelise Duga, commissioner of Ethiopia's Oromia Tourism Commission, said that efforts are underway to create a conducive environment for Chinese tourists.

Oromia is the largest region in the East African nation.

Duga said the number of Chinese tourists visiting the region has increased significantly after the Chinese government announced a list of priority countries for its citizens to visit in Africa and beyond.

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): LELISE DUGA, Commissioner of Ethiopia's Oromia Tourism Commission
"The number of Chinese tourists is increasing. Now the Chinese and the Asians are coming as travelers, which is really excellent. The Ethiopian government has a very good relationship with China. And the Chinese government has put Ethiopia as one of the top countries for visits and for businesses. It gives us an opportunity. So we have prepared ourselves."

Forbes reported that before the COVID-19 pandemic, China was the largest contributor to outbound tourism.

Trip.com, a Chinese online travel agency, said in a recent report that the outbound tourism market has witnessed remarkable growth during the National Day holiday period, with bookings skyrocketing nearly 20 times compared to the previous year.

According to the National Immigration Administration forecast on Wednesday, China is expected to see an average of 1.58 million daily inbound and outbound passenger trips during the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holiday, a roughly threefold increase year-on-year.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Beijing.
(XHTV)