Travel Interest from Australia to China Increases 80% in Half-Hour Following Visa-Free Announcement
Following the recent announcement that China has included Australia in its visa-free list on 17 June, there has been a significant surge in interest in the destination.
Within just 30 minutes after the news was shared, Trip.com search data reveals that China-related keywords have seen an 80% increase among Australian users, highlighting the strong interest in this visa-free scheme.
The news also sparked an increase in bookings on Trip.com on the day of the announcement, which reported a 20% increase in bookings from Australia to China, as compared to the previous day.
From January to May this year, Trip.com has recorded a significant upward trajectory in flight search volumes from Australia to China, with a notable 154% increase in search volumes compared to the same period last year.
Interest in China has been increasing globally since the country expanded its unilateral visa-free travel policy, with 14 countries and regions added to the arrangement from November 2023 till present. In Q1 2024, there was a significant 400% growth in inbound travel to China, driven by the benefits of such visa-free policies.