The contribution of tourism to China’s GDP is expected to rise 60.7% in 2021, largely led by domestic travel, according to a report released Thursday.
The number is higher than both the U.S. (35.6%) and the U.K. (32.3%), and the same is true for leisure spending — China is projected to see a 66.9% increase, followed by a 51.4% increase in the U.S., and a 30.5% increase in the U.K.
The report, titled “Trending in Travel,” was compiled by the World Travel and Tourism Council, an organization representing travel and tourism companies, and China’s largest travel service provider Trip.com Group. The report looks at emerging consumer trends in travel and tourism across the globe.
The COVID-19 outbreak and international travel restrictions have led to the rise of domestic travel in countries around the world, and this is particularly true in China, the report says. Data shows that short-haul attraction bookings for the first half of 2021 in China increased by almost 300% and 81% from the…