China's domestic travel demand is expected to raise this summer, with trips anticipated to recover to more than 70 percent of the same period in 2019, as the epidemic prevention and control situation has gradually improved, a report by travel agency Ctrip said on Monday.

Data from the report showed that in the first half of June, the number of air tickets and entrance to domestic scenic spots rose 31 percent and 44 percent respectively compared with the second half of May.

Experts noted that, although the external situation of the tourism market during this upcoming summer is unprecedentedly complex, travel demand is expected to recover thanks to recent consumption stimulus as well as favorable policies.

According to the report, as the summer vacation approaches, students have more leisure time and the demand for family trips is rising rapidly. From June, online travel searches on family tours and graduation trips have increased over 100 percent and nearly 300 percent, respectively.

Cheng Chaogong, a senior official from Ctrip noted that the recovery of demand for family travel constitutes the "engine" of the stable recovery of the tourism market this summer, playing a strong pulling effect on the overall recovery of passenger traffic.

With the COVID-19 outbreaks brought under effective control, a number of provinces and cities, including Northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Central China's Henan and Hubei, as well as Shenzhen in South China's Guangdong, have resumed cross-provincial tourism and operation of travel agencies.

The resumption of domestic flights also boosted the recovery of the sector in major cities across the country.

According to data from China Eastern Airlines, June 20 saw its single-day flight volume reach a new high of 1,274 flights since April this year, gradually recovering from 240 flights per day at the end of April.