2022 China Tourism Facts & Figures
In 2022, the 3rd year of COVID-19, the travel restrictions in China were still frequent and persistent, significantly curbing people's travel activities. This had a serious impact on the recovery of the tourism market. As a result, 2022 was the year when China tourism industry was in its hardest time ever.
See China Tourism Facts & Figures by Year: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007
2022 China Tourism Statistics:
The number of inbound arrivals was 25.25 million in 2022, a decrease of 82.6% compared with 2019. The number of outbound tourists in 2022 was between 26 million and 30 million, less than 20% of that in 2019. Throughout 2022, there were 2.53 billion domestic tourists, only 42.12% of the 2019 figures.
In 2022, the number of inbound arrivals to China continued to decline. Throughout the year, China received a total of 25.25 million inbound tourists, a decrease of 1.13 million compared with 2021, representing a year-on-year decrease of 4.3% and an 82.6% drop compared with 2019.
The Majority of Inbound Tourists Were Young and Middle-Aged Groups with Essential Travel Demands.
1. Similar to 2021, most inbound tourists traveled to China for the purposes of doing business, studying, and visiting relatives, accounting for more than 60%.
2. Among the inbound tourists, the 22-44 age bracket made up the largest proportion, reaching as high as 45.57%. Followed was the 45-64 middle-aged cohort, which accounted for 36.55%.
3. Independent travelers constituted 57% of the inbound tourist population, while only 30% opted for group tours organized by travel agencies.
4. Regionally, Europe and the Middle East markets exhibited the strongest recovery trends, with the America and Africa markets trailing closely behind. In contrast, the Asia-Pacific region saw a relatively slower recovery.
The potential demand for tourism to China rebounded remarkably.
Google search data showed that in 2022, overseas searches for flights and accommodation to China increased significantly compared with the same period in 2021. Considering that people generally start planning their overseas trips 3-6 months in advance, this data indicated that China's inbound tourism market is likely to experience a significant recovery in 2023.
Outbound tourism in 2022 also presented a bleak picture. The data showed that the number of outbound tourists from China in 2022 was nearly on par with that in 2021, remaining at a level between 26 million and 30 million. That was still less than 20% of the pre-epidemic level.
The cost-effectiveness had become the top concern of outbound travelers.
In 2022, China outbound tourists focused on the following aspects: the cost-effectiveness of tourism products, sanitation conditions, the richness of tourism products, personal safety during travel, shopping convenience, and the cultural characteristics of the destinations. The epidemic had great impact on people’s income. As a result, tourists become more sensitive to the prices of tourism products and placed greater emphasis on cost-effectiveness.
Domestic Tourism of China in 2022: All Indicators Showed Negative Growth
In 2022, the continuous impact of COVID-19 pandemic led to a generally weak domestic tourism market throughout the year, with all indicators showing negative growth.
- The number of domestic tourists experienced a year-on-year decrease of about 20%, hitting the lowest point in the three years since the pandemic began. The total number of domestic tourists stood at 2.53 billion, a decrease of 716 million compared with the same period last year, representing a year-on-year decline of 22.1%, and only 42.12% of that in 2019.
- In 2022, domestic tourism revenue amounted to CNY 2.04 trillion, a decrease of CNY 870 billion from the previous year, with a year-on-year decrease of 30.0%. A comparison between 2020, 2021 and 2022 revealed that domestic tourism revenue in 2022 was also the lowest in the three-year pandemic period, and only 35.6% of the domestic tourism revenue in 2019.
- Per capita tourism consumption saw a slight decline. In 2022, the per capita per-trip consumption was CNY 806.32, a decrease of CNY 92.96 from the same period last year, with a decrease rate of 10.34%.
- The national tourist satisfaction index in 2022 was 80.52, down 2.37% year-on-year, marking the first decline since 2016. This decline was attributed to factors such as the sudden outbreak of the pandemic, forced termination of travel plans, refund disputes, difficulties checking into hotels, and rights violations during quarantine periods, all of which negatively impacted the travel experience and overall satisfaction.
The domestic tourism report indicated that due to the impact of the COVID-19, the travel distance of domestic tourism in 2022 were significantly shortened, and 81.24% of domestic tourism was intra-provincial tourism. Domestic tourism presented new characteristics such as short-time, short-distance, and high-frequency travel, with people displaying a greater interest in exploring the beautiful scenery surrounding them.
China Domestic Tourism Statistics during 2022 Holidays
| Chinese New Year | Qingming Festival | May Day | Dragon Boat Festival | Mid-Autumn Festival | National Day | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tourist Trips (million) | 251 | 75.4 | 160 | 79.6 | 73.4 | 422 |
| Year-on-Year Growth | -2.0% | -26.2% | -30.2% | -10.7% | -16.7% | -18.2% |
| Compared with 2019 | 73.9% | 68% | 66.8% | 86.8% | 72.6% | 60.7% |
| Tourism Revenue (CNY 100 million) | 2,891.98 | 187.8 | 646.8 | 258.2 | 286.8 | 2,872.1 |
| Year-on-Year Growth | -3.9% | -30.9% | -42.9% | -12.2% | -22.8% | -26.2% |
| Compared with 2019 | 56.3% | 36.2% | 44.0% | 65.6% | 60.6% | 44.2% |
See China Tourism Facts & Figures by Year: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007
- Last updated on Jan. 27, 2025 by Sherry Xia -