Chinese tourists interact with Maasai performers at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya, Feb. 11, 2023. (Xinhua/Han Xu)

Outbound Chinese travel is recovering rapidly, with 40 more countries added to the list of foreign destinations, including Nepal, Vietnam, Iran, France, Spain, Italy, Greece and Brazil.

Airlines have sped up progress to resume international flight routes. Haikou Melian International Airport has resumed regular routes from Haikou to Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Phnom Penh, Bangkok and Singapore. As of March 13, the airport has transported 20,916 passengers on 177 flights.

China's civil aviation sector will enter a new flight season starting March 26. Beijing Daxing International Airport is expected to increase another 20 international flight routes to South Korea, the Netherlands, Russia, Uzbekistan, United Arab Emirates, and other countries.

Analysts said public enthusiasm for outbound trips will continue to rise with the resumption of international air routes.

As a major consumer in the outbound travel market, China is welcomed by many countries who want to boost economic growth by tourism. Since January, over 40 countries have loosened entry restrictions for Chinese tourists.

Vietnamese airlines, one of the second-batch destinations for Chinese tour groups, have prepared for a large number of Chinese tourists, especially in the upcoming summer.

Cheng Chaogong from Ctrip said the upcoming May Day holiday and summer may see a sharp rise of outbound Chinese trips.

Insiders also pointed out that with the continuous optimization of policies, economic recovery, and the gradually warming weather, outbound travel demand will continue to rise, and this year may see an explosive growth of outbound trips.