by Donald Wood
Last updated: 8:45 AM ET, Thu January 4, 2024
Chinese government officials announced that international
flights to and from the country are expected to reach 80 percent of pre-COVID
levels by the end of 2024.
According to Reuters.com,
the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) revealed that international
flights will reach around 6,000 per week by the end of this year, compared to
about 4,600 per week currently.
To start 2023, China
boasted fewer than 500 international flights each week.
As for China’s focus on reconnecting service to the United
States, the CAAC said it plans a “significant” increase in direct flights
between the two countries, as there are only currently 63 flights scheduled each
week.
In total, CAAC officials said an estimated 690 million domestic
and international passenger trips will take place in 2024, an 11 percent
increase from last year. In 2023, 620 million domestic and international passengers
took a flight, a 146 percent increase from 2022, when coronavirus-related
restrictions were still in place.
The announcement comes days after the Chinese Embassy and
Consulates-General in the United States revealed that Americans heading to
China now have an easier
tourist visa application process.
The tourist visa, also called an L-visa, will no longer
require travelers to submit their round-trip airfare information, proof of
hotel reservation, itinerary or invitation letter during the application
process.
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