Many passengers spending New Year's holidays abroad are seen at a departure lobby of the Fukuoka Airport in Japan on December 28, 2022. The number of tourists is increasing following the relaxation of border measures for the COVID-19. Photo: VCG

Inbound flight bookings from neighboring countries to China have soared, reflecting pent-up demand for travel to China after the government optimized epidemic response, lifting curbs at borders starting on January 8.

With many flying to China for sightseeing and business, tickets have become very hard to get and fares have surged, several travel platforms told the Global Times on Monday.

Six flights from South Korea's Incheon International Airport flew to the Chinese mainland on Sunday. Due to China's optimization of prevention and control measures, flights tickets are in now short supply.

Data that online travel agency LY.com sent to the Global Times on Monday showed that the popular destinations for inbound flights on Sunday included Shanghai, Nanjing, Guangzhou and Chengdu. 

Some popular direct flights such as those from Seoul to Nanjing, Phnom Penh to Nanning and Bangkok to Guiyang were sold out a week before departure on January 8, LY.com said. Data from Qunar.com, another ticket booking platform, showed a similar trend.

Ticket prices for some flights are getting more expensive, the Global Times learned. For example, fares from Incheon to Beijing have jumped to around 10,000 yuan ($1,475) on some platforms, several times more than the same period last year, reports said.

Guo Lechun, vice president of the big data research institute of Qunar.com, told the Global Times on Monday that the figures reflect the fact that with the optimization of border reopening, passengers are more willing to travel now.

"However, limited by the approval of international flights, the supply of flights is relatively small...before the Spring Festival, the travel demand of passengers usually increases, and there will be cases where people can't get tickets," Guo noted.

There are still seats available from South Korea to the Chinese mainland in January, and passengers can still make travel plans, experts said.

Airports across China optimized epidemic measures on Sunday, with corresponding regulations for direct inbound flights also adjusted, which will shore up international travel to China.

For example, Beijing's two international airports officially opened for direct inbound flights on Sunday, ending the rule that inbound international passengers had to be diverted to other Chinese cities.

On the first day of the new policy, Beijing Capital International Airport received 10 inbound passenger flights.

Global Times