Chinese travelers to spend $14 billion overseas during Spring Festival

As the 2017 Chinese Spring Festival approaches, 6 million Chinese travelers are expected to tour abroad, spending an estimated RMB 100 billion (USD 14 billion) in late January and early February, reports the National Business Daily.

China has been the world's No.1 outbound tourism source market for four consecutive years, accounting for over 13% of the total tourism revenue globally.

As of December 10th, data from Ctrip shows that Chinese tourists will travel to 174 countries or regions around the world, spending an average 9.2 days out of China.

Thailand, Japan, Nepal and the U.S. are the most popular destinations, according to Ctrip.

Airlines in China have increased air travel routes around the world. China Southern Airlines has devoted 30% of its planes to overseas flight.

Chinese tourists are the third-largest group visiting Canada, growing by 24% in the first half of 2016, according to China Southern Airlines.

Hainan Airlines and China Eastern Airlines have also launched new direct international air routes. In December 2, Hainan Airlines launched a direct air route from Beijing to Las Vegas, the first of its kind on the Chinese mainland.

Nearly 5.2 million people traveled abroad during the 2016 Lunar New Year, a 10% increase from a year earlier, according to the latest data available on the website of the China National Tourism Administration.

In November, President Xi Jinping said during the APEC CEO Summit in Peru that Chinese tourists will make a total of 700 million overseas trips in the next five years.

Chinese Spring Festival falls on January 28, 2017.