Upsurge in visits to South America boosts tourism ties

While China and countries in South America have established closer and stronger ties in tourism cooperation in recent years, thanks to the Chinese people's increasing spending power on outbound trips, industry insiders have called for additional flights and flight routes as well as streamlined visa procedures for sustainable tourism growth in the future.

Data from travel portal Qunar shows that in the first 10 months of the year, flight bookings from the Chinese mainland to destinations in South America nearly doubled on the platform, compared with the same period last year. Brazil, Argentina and Peru were the top three destinations selected by Chinese travelers, according to the portal.

Fu Yandan, who is in charge of travel agency Tuniu's tourism business in South America, said that most of their customers prefer a monthlong tour product to Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Uruguay, while some also choose to visit the continent of Antarctica after finishing their trip to South America.

Nearly 60 percent of Tuniu's customers traveling to South America are people ages 60 to 70, and 20 percent are customers ages 50 to 60, all of whom have the time and budget to afford long flying hours and high traveling costs, Fu said.

"Customers visiting South America lay much emphasis on the comfort factor of both travel and accommodations. Most of them prefer to buy business class tickets due to the long flying time," she said.

Such travelers also show more interest in exploratory tours or events that offer an immersive experience of the continent's natural and cultural landscapes, Fu said, adding that a helicopter ride over Iguazu Falls, which straddles the border between Argentina and Brazil, and hiking in the Amazon rainforest are among top choices.

Industry insiders shared optimistic views about the greater potential of tourism cooperation between China and South American nations if additional flights and flight routes as well as more friendly visa policies are introduced.

Cai Muzi, a big data researcher at Qunar, said that currently there are no direct flights from the Chinese mainland to any destination in South America due to the distance.

"The fastest route offered is from Beijing to Sao Paulo, Brazil, which takes around 25 hours with a layover in Madrid, Spain. The average ticket price is more than 10,000 yuan ($1,380)," she said, adding that the situation could improve with more flights and flight routes.

Fu, from Tuniu, expressed the hope of optimized visa policies to accelerate future tourism growth. "Most of our customers are advised to plan their trips to South America three or four months in advance. Many prefer holding visas to the United States, which facilitates getting visas to countries in South America," she said.

In recent years, countries in South America have made efforts to attract international travelers, especially Brazil and Peru, where tourism is a key driver for economic growth.

China and Brazil signed a mutual agreement for issuing visas valid for up to 10 years to ordinary passport holders for purposes of tourism, business and family visits. The policy took effect on Feb 19. Visa holders can stay up to 90 days during each visit to China and Brazil, with the option of extending the duration to 180 days, if necessary.

Early this year, Brazil unveiled its National Tourism Plan 2024-27, setting an ambitious target of making the country a top tourist destination in South America by 2027, media reports said.

Brazil aims to receive 8 million international tourist visits over the next three years and generate tourism-related revenue worth more than $8.1 billion. It plans to improve its tourism facilities and services, offering international visitors a better experience.

Cai, from Qunar, said that South America's rich natural and cultural resources make the continent a popular travel destination for people from across the globe.

"Although it is very far from China, I think it will become more popular among Chinese travelers in the future, as many of them seek niche travel spots," she added.