Chinese tourists are headed overseas for the extended May Labor Day holiday at near pre-pandemic levels, accelerating a rebound of what used to be the world’s biggest travel market.
Outbound trips between April 27 to May 5, which includes the five-day break that started Wednesday, are just 7% below 2019 levels, according to ForwardKeys, a travel forecaster that analyzes air ticketing, travel agency and other industry data. A last-minute rush has seen bookings surge at a faster pace than was expected based on ticket sales at the beginning of April, according to the travel insights company. Meanwhile, domestic ticketing has surpassed 2019 levels by 4% for the period.