In addition, Hunan ranks among China’s top 10 inter-provincial tourist destinations.

 

According to the report, the economic sentiment index of China's tourism declined. The comprehensive indexes of tourism economic operation in the first three quarters of 2022 were 95.6, 97.8 and 85.6 respectively, down 3.3, up 2.2 and down 12.2 compared with the previous quarter.

 

The domestic tourism market shrank slightly. In the first three quarters of 2022, the number of Chinese tourists reached 2.094 billion, a decrease of 595 million over the same period of 2021, falling 22.1 percent year on year.

 

Domestic tourism revenue (the total domestic tourism consumption) in the first three quarters of 2022 amounted to 1.72 trillion yuan, a fall of 0.65 trillion yuan over the same period of 2021, a year-on-year decrease of 27.2 percent.

 

It is estimated that the number of domestic tourists will reach 685 million in the fourth quarter of 2022, and the domestic tourism revenue will amount to 0.63 trillion yuan.Urban residents and highly-educated people are the main tourists in China, accounting for 72.15 percent and 42.27 percent respectively.

 

Tourism is characterized by localization and short distance. The tourists within the province make up 81.24 percent of the total tourists nationwide, and 81 percent of the inter-provincial tourists are from neighboring provinces.

 

China’s top 10 inter-provincial tourist destinations in 2022 were listed in descending order of the inter-provincial tourist inflow, which are Jiangsu, Guangdong, Hebei, Zhejiang, Sichuan, Anhui, Hunan, Shandong, Henan and Hubei.

 

These traditional tourist sources and populous provinces are supported by local tourists and endogenous consumption, which lay the stable market foundation for market recovery and industrial revitalization.

 

The report showed that the short-distance tour has become an important format. Affected by the COVID-19, people are willing to choose short-distance tours. 

 

The new tourism products are popular among tourists. Driven by the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, outdoor sports led by sports culture tourism are active. Activities like skiing, camping and hiking have become new ways for people to get close to nature.

 

In the summer of 2022, intense heatwaves lingered in many places nationwide, and such products were favored by tourists as waterfront leisure, ecological wellness and summer resorts. 

 

Moreover, the middle-aged and elderly tourists have become an important source of tourists. In 2021, the number of the middle-aged and elderly tourists over 45 years old reached 1.194 billion, accounting for 36.81 percent of the tourist market. Meanwhile, there was a relatively fast increase in the number of young tourists aged 14 and below. Tourism for the elderly, wellness tours and study tours have broad prospects.