Chinese tourists flock to South-east Asia as overseas travel bounces back

BEIJING – Chinese travellers flocked to tourist hot spots across Asia over the Chinese New Year break, with visitor numbers and spending in destinations such as Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia exceeding pre-Covid-19 levels.

Visa-free access for Chinese tourists to the South-east Asian countries boosted traffic and signalled a robust revival in travel since Beijing lifted strict Covid-19 restrictions in early 2023 that had all but shut China’s borders for three years.

The increase also provides a welcome relief to countries whose…