Overseas trips popular as prices pulled down

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Source: CCTV.com | 01-13-2009 10:24

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While many Chinese are returning home, others are heading for overseas resorts, some people in Beijing are keen to take advantage of cheap prices, as the deepening global economic downturn pulls down prices of tour packages to many countries.

Travel agencies say the booking rush for overseas Spring  Festival trips has come earlier than usual.

Two weeks away from the Spring Festival, travel agencies in Beijing say tour packages for overseas trips are almost booked out.

Long-distance trips to Australia and Europe are just as popular as trips to Korea, Japan or southeast Asia. Travel agencies say the booking rush for overseas Spring Festival trips has come earlier than usual.

Yang Yang, general manager of Beijing Chunqiu Int'l Travel Service, said, "We feel Beijing people's demand for overseas travel has not decreased this year. If the trend continues like this, our profit won't be less than the previous year. It might even be more."

Due to the devaluation of foreign currencies and lower airplane fuel surcharges, the cost of overseas trips has been greatly cut. Many popular tour packages to overseas countries, which usually go up every holiday, are offering discounts this year. The prices of some high-end packages have dropped to below 10 thousand yuan for the first time.

Tian Ling, executive manager of China Youth Travel Service, said, "Tour package prices have been slashed by 10 to 20 percent for both domestic and overseas trips. People who avoid travelling during the first 3 days of the Spring Festival should see prices decline even more."

Prices for tour packages to Thailand have hit a record five-year low, because of political turmoil in the country.

To weather the global economic slowdown, travel agencies have begun to offer discounts and promote new packages in the hope of luring more customers. Travellers going abroad during this period are likely to enjoy some of the heftiest discounts in recent years.

Editor:Zhang Ning