China’s Travel Agents Seek Savior in Local Tourism

Chinese travel agencies are turning to new business areas, such as local getaways, as they struggle to survive in a sector battered by the country’s “zero-Covid” strategy.

China began by locking up international tourism early in the pandemic and then the following year imposed restrictions on cross-provincial package tours. In 2022, regional lockdowns curbed movement as China battled its worst wave of Covid since 2020, which saw outbreaks in cities including Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen.