Chinese tourists put off by US violence and worsening bilateral ties, survey shows

One in five Chinese say they will ‘definitely’ travel internationally, as Europe finds renewed popularity and crime soars in American cities

Of those interested in US travel, 60 per cent cite violent crime as a major concern that would give them pause

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A man takes a photo in front of a statue in Manhattan. Traditionally popular tourist destinations like New York City have seen a rise in crime and fall in tourists. Photo: AFP

Published: 7:00am, 13 Sep 2022Updated: 11:05pm, 13 Sep 2022

More mainland Chinese tourists are planning to travel overseas, anticipating further easing of Covid-19 controls on mass movements in the coming few months into the next year, but the US has lost popularity as a destination, a recent survey has found.

The poll by Morning Consult, a US-based business intelligence company, was conducted in August among a representative sample of 1,000 adults.

The share of those with travel plans who say they will or might travel abroad in the coming year rose 23 percentage points between April and July. Now one in five Chinese adults say they will “definitely” travel internationally.

But unlike before the coronavirus pandemic, the US will not be a favoured destination.

Fear of violent crime, including mass shootings, is “scaring” Chinese away, the report found, “outpacing other potentially prohibitive concerns such as Covid-19 exposure, cost and deteriorating US-China relations”.