Passengers queue up to check in for a flight to Kuala Lumpur at Haikou Meilan International Airport in Haikou, South China's Hainan Province, on May 30, 2025. Photo: VCG

As the 2025 summer travel season commences on July 1 and extends through August 31, China's tourism sector is gearing up for a remarkable boom. Major airports are expecting a surge in passenger traffic, while the outbound travel market is experiencing an astonishing growth spurt, with travel agencies reporting increases of more than 50 percent in outbound travel orders, vividly reflecting China's massive tourism and consumption potential.

In Shanghai, the two major airports are projected to handle a total of 150,000 flights during the two-month travel season, a 5 percent year-on-year increase. In terms of passenger throughput, an estimated 24.55 million inbound and outbound trips will be made through these airports. The average daily passenger volume will reach 396,000, up 7 percent year-on-year.

In Harbin, Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, from July 1, the Harbin Taiping International Airport expects to handle about 76,000 passengers and more than 500 flights daily during the summer, with a notable increase in passenger flow.

Data from flight travel app Umetrip showed that the number of booked inbound and outbound flight tickets for July has exceeded 3.35 million, up about 7 percent year-on-year. 

In terms of outbound travels, data from multiple travel agents paint a vivid picture of soaring demand. 

Trip.com Group reported that the number of visa applications for this summer is up about 10 percent year-on-year to a three-year high. Travel interests in destinations such as Italy, Norway, and Germany have soared, with the number of related visa applications increasing by more than 80 percent year-on-year. 

According to a report from Tuniu, the booking of travel products for the summer vacation period on the platform has been extremely brisk. So far, the number of booked travelers is up more than 35 percent year-on-year, with the number of booked outbound travelers up 60 percent year-on-year.

According to data sent by Spring Tour to the Global Times on Monday, the total number of summer travel bookings has increased by nearly 30 percent year-on-year. Demand in outbound travel stands out, with the number of bookings increasing by nearly 50 percent. 

The number of individual visa applications has skyrocketed by 160 percent on the platform of Spring Tour, further confirming the thriving outbound travel market. Driven by the Osaka Expo 2025, travel to Japan remains a top choice, according to Spring Tour.

Han Jie, president of China Youth Travel Service (CYTS) Aoyou, told the Global Times that popular departure dates in July for long-haul destinations, including Europe, the Americas, Australia, and Africa are basically sold out on the platform.

Demand for high-end and in-depth travel has further increased this summer. "CYTS Aoyou's Arctic charter ship project is extremely popular this summer. The project combines exclusive travel experiences of niche destinations, such as 'Arctic + Iceland,' Greenland and Norway. New travel products like cruise travel and train travel are also well-received," Han said.

The 2025 Summer Travel Trend Report released by CYTS Aoyou indicates that the summer travel market in 2025 will reach another peak. The upgrading of travel consumption demand and the rapid recovery of the product supply chain will accelerate the development of the travel market, the report said. 

During this year's summer travel rush, booming outbound tourism is a powerful testament to the release of travel demand and the continuous upgrading of consumption patterns, Wang Peng, an associate research fellow at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Monday.

"The advancement of visa facilitation policies, such as the expanded scope of visa-free entry and the extension of transit visa exemptions, has significantly lowered the threshold for cross-border travel, enabling a greater number of individuals to explore overseas destinations with ease. Moreover, the growing popularity of niche travel destinations further underscores consumers' growing pursuit of high-quality travel experiences," Wang said.