Tourists from Singapore fill in digital arrival cards at the Meilan International Airport in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Dec. 28, 2024.

While there are still a few weeks to go before the start of the eight-day holidays of the Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, scheduled from January 28 to February 4, several domestic travel agencies have released their latest findings, projecting a positive trend for both inbound and outbound travel.

Popular outbound travel destinations for Chinese tourists include Japan, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Thailand, Australia and the UK. Among these, short-haul outbound routes to Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia are particularly popular, China's online travel agency Trip.com said on Tuesday.

It forecasts that the consumer willingness to travel is "at an unprecedented high, with both inbound and outbound tourism flourishing and showing a growth trend."

During the upcoming Spring Festival holidays, travel to and from China is anticipated to increase significantly, possibly reaching record levels, Yang Jinsong, an expert with the China Tourism Academy, told the Global Times on Wednesday, who contributed the surge to favorable visa-free policies and the continuous release of pent-up consumer demand.

The growth in outbound tourism is expected to be more pronounced during the upcoming holidays due to the increasing number of countries with visa exemptions and visa-on-arrival policies, which enhance travel convenience for Chinese travelers, Yang said.

The recovery of international direct flights is another factor contributing to the sustained growth of outbound tourism, the industry expert said.

China's civil aviation international market is projected to recover to 74.8 percent of its 2019 levels in 2024, with Southeast Asia remaining the most popular region, Beijing News reported on Monday, citing the latest data released by Flight Master, an industry information provider.

In 2025, the international civil aviation market will continue to focus on recovery, reaching 88 percent of the 2019 levels, the report projected.

Other factors that contribute to the stronger outbound travel include the continuous release of China's consumption potential, Yang said, adding that travel to Southeast Asian countries is expected to be particularly attractive, as the cost of short-distance travel is relatively low. 

Inbound travel is also expected to show positive growth, primarily driven by China's visa-free policies, with the permitted stay for eligible foreign travelers being extended from the original 72 and 144 hours to 240 hours. 

According to Trip.com, during the Spring Festival holidays in 2025, the number of travel orders from foreign tourists visiting China is expected to increase by 203 percent year-on-year. 

The main source countries will include South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Japan. The domestic destinations that the foreign tourists are particularly interested in include Shanghai, Guangzhou, Beijing and Harbin.

Under the updated policy, eligible citizens from 54 countries can enter China visa-free when transiting to a third country or region, per the National Immigration Administration in December.

"This favorable (policy) development will attract more foreigners to China, especially during the Chinese New Year holidays," according to Yang.

Other statistics that the Chinese travel ticketing platform ly.com shared with the Global Times on Wednesday show that the average ticket price for international flights during peak periods of the Spring Festival travel rush is close to 4,000 yuan ($548), which is an increase of nearly 20 percent compared with regular ticket prices. The most popular routes include the lines between Shanghai and Tokyo as well as Guangzhou and Bangkok, per ly.com.

Yang said that the foreign visitors coming to China during this period can be divided into two main categories - those who want to experience the atmosphere of traditional Chinese festivals as well as those who are married to Chinese citizens, or overseas Chinese with foreign nationalities who are returning to visit family.

"Given the current trend, during the upcoming Chinese New Year holidays, the inbound tourism is expected to see further growth compared with the same period last year, and there is a possibility that it could reach new highs," Yang projected.