Source: Bloomberg

Author: Li Jiahong, xiao Zibang

This is the first summer tourism peak in China that has not had strict epidemic prevention measures in four years.Tickets for attractions such as the Forbidden City were snatched in a few minutes. The crowds on the streets were bustling, and even the subway station was more crowded than in the past.But it is difficult for you to find the faces of foreign tourists.

For many people, China is still too "unfamiliar" after all.Although the epidemic has passed, the memory could not be easily erased. The empty streets and the building photos of the iron generals were obviously not suitable for placing in the tourist brochure.In addition, it is difficult to apply for visa, less flights, special payment systems, and lack of language. It is also a big obstacle to tourists in North America, Europe and other places.

Beijing tour guide Jay Li said, "If you go to the Forbidden City in Beijing now, if you can see 20 or 30 foreigners, there are a lot. Now most foreigners come to China for business reasons. During this periodBy the way. This is not comparable to this before the epidemic. The number of foreign tourists is only about 20 % in the past. "

Flight Number

Even if the increase in international flights, it will not lead to surge in the number of tourists or reach the level before the epidemic. A few years ago, China received an average of about 136 million tourists a few years ago.China and the United States have agreed to increase the number of round -trip flights to 24 classes per week by the end of October (one round -trip calculation as one).Before the epidemic, the number of flights between the two countries was 340 per week.

USA told Bloomberg on August 16 that from January next year, it will add three flights to and from Dallas and Shanghai.

China has just canceled teams in the United States, Australia, Britain, South Korea, and Japan.However, the epidemic has caused trauma to China's economy and national psychology, and people are generally reluctant to travel abroad. The official move of the official move is expected to have a limited effect on outbound tourism.

A survey conducted by Longtu Travel in April, the main factors affecting the Chinese outbound tourism are consideration of security, and they are worried that they will be treated unfriendly in foreign countries.Other mentioned factors include: health issues, difficulty preparation for visa materials, and high travel costs.58%of the respondents either said that they would definitely not go abroad this year, or they were uncertain whether they would go abroad.

In addition, economic downturn also makes people tend to reduce expenses.

After the official ending the "Clear Zero" policy, China's domestic aviation passenger transportation returns to the level before the epidemic. The official revenue is expected to reach 5 trillion yuan (700 billion US dollars) this year.

In addition to Beijing and Shanghai, popular destinations include Chengdu, Kunming, Hangzhou, Xi'an and Urumqi.

Entry risk

The Chinese are cautious about traveling abroad, and foreigners are not worried about traveling to China.

The travel consultation issued by the US State Department recommends that "Americans re -consider traveling to mainland China because there are any local law enforcement issues, such as may prohibit exit and illegal detention."

Other countries also hold similar views.The Australian government said that travelers should be highly vigilant during China because Beijing officials may detain foreigners on the grounds of so -called national security.

There is no doubt that these warnings weaken the enthusiasm of investors.

"There are not many people going to China now", James Riley, the chief executive officer of Mandarin Oriental Group, who is about to leave, told Bloomberg earlier this month."The situation of geopolitical tensions has led people to suspend their footsteps."

Another factor that has discouraged foreign travelers is that China's electronic payment methods are unique.Overseas credit cards are basically not accepted, and many places do not even accept cash. From the roadside to the big department store, most merchants only accept WeChat payment or Alipay payment.

Barbara Kosmun, a movie producer in Slovenia, went to visit relatives in China this summer.She went to China last time in 2019. Because she had used WeChat to pay shopping before, it was not completely strange to set up, but the result was still stumped.

She said that China's digital payment system "seems to be more difficult than before the epidemic."In order to re -activate the WeChat payment account, KOSMUN uploaded five passport photos and did not succeed. In the end, he could only pay the bill by friends.

Although the People's Bank of China stated that no unit or individual may refuse cash, WeChat Pay and Alipay have recently promised to upgrade the overseas card binding service, but the electronic payment method still makes foreigners distressed.

KOSMUN said, "WeChat makes me feel uncomfortable. If you can speak Mandarin, install a suitable app, and a credit card issued in the country, then China will be the most convenient country in the world."

If you do not install a local payment platform on a smartphone, it is basically impossible to rent a bicycle around the city.If you want to book tickets or taxis for tourist attractions, you generally need local phone numbers. Booking train tickets may also be quite complicated, especially for people who do not speak Putting.

For many people who want to come to China, obtaining a visa may also be a challenge. They need to queue up at the embassy or the application center (sometimes for a few hours), then submit written materials, and then go back to pick it up a few days later.According to the South China Morning Post, in Singapore, it may have to wait more than 16 hours to get an appointment.And the price is not cheap, and the Chinese visa fee of American citizens requires at least $ 185.

Since June, an article on Zhihu has spread widely on the Internet. It is said that the reason why American tourists go to Southeast Asia and Europe without traveling to China is that there are many obstacles to playing in China.

At the end of the article, "Unless it is extremely deeply affectionate to China, China is definitely not the first place for tourism."