China’s long-haul revival reshapes global travel demand

Europe emerges as a major winner as Chinese travelers go longer, farther, and more varied in their choices

Chinese outbound travel is expanding in duration, distance, and destination variety, according to Trip.com Group’s latest quarterly results. Strong demand, improved flight capacity, and easier visas are driving long-haul recovery, with Europe seeing the biggest gains.

Key takeaways

• Long stays, long distance, long-tail: Trip.com’s “3 Ls” describe rising demand for longer trips, farther destinations, and new, less traditional locations.
• Outbound travel above 2019 levels: Third-quarter outbound hotel and flight bookings rose nearly 20% year-on-year and reached about 140% of 2019 levels.
• Europe leads growth: Bookings to Iceland and Norway more than doubled; Spain, Italy, and Germany grew around 70%, supported by more available flights.
• Easing barriers boosts demand: Safety perceptions, easier visas, and flight capacity returning to 88% of pre-pandemic levels helped drive long-haul travel.
• Seniors are major spenders: Affluent older travelers spend roughly triple what younger travelers spend, with Trip.com’s Old Friends Club growing more than 70%.
• Younger travelers driven by entertainment: Revenue from younger segments jumped triple digits, fueled by concerts and live events.
• AI at the center of strategy: Tools like TripGenie and Trip.Planner are expanding quickly, with usage rising over 200% and 180% respectively, improving search, support, and personalization.
• Inbound travel also rising: Inbound bookings to China more than doubled, supported by visa-free policies and short-format travel products.

Get the full story at Skift (subscription required)