China to Become World's #1 Tourist Destination by 2030

By Matthew Minford

China is set to steal France’s title as the number one tourist destination worldwide by 2030, according to a report by Euromonitor International, a leading market research company.

In addition to predicting China’s rise to global tourism leader, the report, which was released on November 6, also estimates that roughly 1.4 billion trips worldwide will be made in 2018, which would make an impressive 5 percent rise from 2017.

Screengrab via Twitter

Much of this expected increase is believed to be the product of an increasing number of travelers in Asia. According to the report, trips in the Asia-Pacific region are expected to grow by double digits, due in large part to an increasing amount of disposable income for middle class workers who have a yearning for new adventures.

According to Statista, the Chinese travel and tourism industry brought in a total revenue of RMB4.57 trillion in 2017, up 13.7 percent compared to 2016. The industry also provided around 22.5 million jobs for the most populous country in the world.

This increasing demand, coupled with the loosening of visa restrictions has made traveling more convenient for people living in Asia. By 2030, international arrivals are expected to double, resulting in around USD2.6 trillion in tourism-related spending. Dr. Wouter Geerts, Euromonitor’s senior travel analyst, asserted that future sporting events in the region such as the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing will heavily increase tourism numbers in the region.

[Cover image Melissa/Unsplash]

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