China’s COVID fears cloud travel rebound

• Zhou Jing is glad, Beijing has relaxed its “zero-COVID” policy.
• Zhou tested positive for the virus this month.
• Cases surged nationwide.

Zhou Jing, a 36-year-old business owner in Hebei, is glad Beijing has relaxed its “zero-COVID” policy.

After three years of avoiding COVID-19, Zhou tested positive for the virus this month as cases surged nationwide.

Zhou was able to recover at home, unlike millions of Chinese during the pandemic.

Beijing announced this month that it would “optimize” its COVID policies by allowing mild cases to quarantine at home, limiting lockdowns, and lifting domestic travel restrictions.

Zhou was happy to face her illness surrounded by her loved ones, and she’s glad she won’t be restricted from doing everyday errands like going to the supermarket.

Zhou, who runs a small tour agency, won’t leave home soon.

Even if the borders reopen in the coming weeks or months, Zhou won’t travel internationally for the foreseeable future due to the risk of the virus.

“I know you can get COVID-19 anywhere now, but I’ll be with my family in China,” Zhou told Al Jazeera. “Omicron seems more stable. If I travel, the virus could mutate.

Zhou’s apprehension is shared.

Retail and consumer goods partner Imke Wouters told Reuters, “People are cautious.” We don’t think they’ll return right away once they can travel.

Such nervousness could hinder the international tourism market’s nascent recovery from the pandemic, which China’s border closures have hampered.

China spent $288bn on international travel in 2018, one-quarter of global tourism spending.

Other data suggests Chinese may be eager to travel if the government lifts travel restrictions.

Dragon Trail International, which specializes in Chinese outbound travel, surveyed 1,003 mainlanders between November 7 and 20 and found that more than half would travel abroad within a year of reopening.

“Quarantine, strict policies, and inconvenience” were the biggest barriers to travel, with 60% of respondents hoping quarantine-on-arrival will be relaxed.

Tianjin small business owner Lily Zhang said she’s ready to travel solo abroad in 2023. She’s less confident she can travel with her family, especially since her husband returned from the Philippines last month.

Zhang said he doesn’t mind getting COVID-19 from abroad. Having sick children would be a burden. We hope to know the rules when we arrive so we can travel together.

Simon He, a Danish postgraduate student, plans to return to China in January for an exchange program in Shanghai despite obstacles such as an eight-day quarantine.

He’s confident he can manage COVID-19 at home and is looking forward to traveling next year.

He said, “Get COVID-19.” “Cases may peak during the Spring Festival holiday, but I’m optimistic. I’ll travel more then.”

Some Chinese prefer domestic travel to going abroad.

The recent removal of internal travel restrictions in China bodes well for Chinese domestic tourism in the coming months and beyond, said Dragon Trail’s marketing and communications director.

Hainan is likely to make a comeback as a domestic getaway, as will Zhangjiakou, Chongli, and other popular “winter tourism” locations, but “no destination [is] immune” from a possible re-implementation of strict policies, Parulis-Cook said.

Josie Chen, a travel agency operator, expects domestic tourism, especially luxury hotels and ski resorts, to decline after 2023 because “many Chinese are eager to leave.” According to her company’s data, most wealthy Chinese buy luxury goods in Europe or North America.

Everyone hopes borders will reopen soon, but it’s bad for business, Chen told Al Jazeera. Domestic travel agencies must explore the market and change their business model to survive.

Parulis-Cook believes Chinese domestic and outbound travel expectations will change.

“The change in messaging in China from officials and the media to stress that COVID-19 is actually a very mild illness should also assuage any virus-related fears about traveling abroad,” she said.

Both Chen and Parulis-Cook say Chinese tourists prefer Hong Kong.

China’s border with Hong Kong has been closed since early 2020, but the Asian financial hub lifted a three-day monitoring period last week allowing international arrivals to enter bars and restaurants immediately.

Chen said Southeast Asia may see more Chinese tourists next year.

Zhou won’t travel until coronavirus is “weakened or contained globally.”

Zhou: “Young people who haven’t traveled in a while will be eager to go.” My biggest concern is when they get sick abroad. They may return with a more extreme variant, causing more trouble.”

Zhang and others must keep living.

Zhang hopes Chinese people learn to live with COVID-19. It’s ignored. My life isn’t about the pandemic.”

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