The report, sponsored by Visa and in partnership with Oxford Economics, analysed indicators such as travel’s contribution to GDP, employment and traveller spend.

But while the long-term outlook for a number of Chinese cities looks positive, the WTTC said prolonged travel restrictions and border closures had slowed the recovery of the country’s tourism sector in the short-term.

The WTTC studied the sector’s impact in four major cities – Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou and Shanghai – and found a mixed picture. However, in all four cities, travel and tourism’s contribution to GDP last year had almost fully recovered to 2019 levels.
   

Julia Simpson, WTTC president and chief executive, said: "China has long been a world-favourite holiday destination and after more than two years of disruption, it’s great to see tourists heading back."

However, she added: “It is crucial national and local governments continue to recognise the importance of travel and tourism for the local and national economies, jobs and businesses.” 

In 2019, there were 1.35 million people employed by the travel and tourism sector in Beijing. This figure dropped to 1.16 million in 2020 (-15%), before rebounding 5% in 2021 and a further 4% in 2022 to 1.27 million.

Due to China’s prolonged government-imposed border closures, which were only lifted last month, international visitor spend has taken longer to recover than in other countries.

However, while international visitor spend was still, on average, 53% lower in 2022 than it was in 2019, all of the cities analysed recorded modest year-on-year increases.