Chinese tourists interact with Maasai performers at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya, Feb. 11, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]
In early April, Xiao Ying and her husband embarked on a flight from Beijing to Geneva, beginning their honeymoon in the picturesque cities of Switzerland.
The flight, which had been suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic, resumed operations in February 2023, marking a significant revival in tourism for Chinese travelers.
“The resumed flight offered us more choices in travel destinations,” Xiao said.
In the first quarter of 2024, Chinese mainland tourists spent a total of 153,723 nights in Switzerland, an increase of 92.2 percent from the same period last year, according to data from Switzerland Tourism.
“The resumption of flights between the two countries is a major contributor to the spike in Chinese tourist arrivals,” said Shi Bang, director of the board at Switzerland-based LOTO Travel Agency AG. “Also, visa procedures have been simplified for…