Outbound on the up: Foreign travel has spring in its step
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China's outbound tourism during the Spring Festival holiday enjoyed big increases, showing the consumption ability of Chinese travelers, industry professionals say, despite rising prices.
"It was very fresh and exciting to spend the traditional festival in Disneyland in the US,"said Zhao Jie, who works at the Beijing UTour International Travel Service Co.
Zhao and her husband were just back Thursday, after 10 days' traveling in the US, with each spending 24,000 yuan ($3,640.00) on the whole trip. They were on a tour organized by travel agencies from Beijing and Guangzhou separately, all spending the Spring Festival in the US.
Zhao met several hundred Chinese travelers in Disneyland.
"The price has soared much higher than in normal times but this trip covers better service and accommodation, including some four and five-star hotels, " said Zhao.
Statistics released by the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) showed that the price for Middle East and Europe tour rose 15 percent, and the price for Phuket and Saipan Island by 30 percent. But such increases seemed to have had little effect on trade.
According to Ctrip, the biggest domestic online travel agency, the amount of tourists booking outbound tours increased almost 30 percent, "selling very well", according to Yu Lan, the director of Outbound Tourism Department.
Yu said Japan, the islands in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan are still the main destinations, and the travel to Australia, the US and Europe has increased, with Africa and the Middle East newly in favor.
The reason for the increase during the holiday can be attributed to growing family needs, as well as a kind of personal investment, in Yu's opinion.
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