SHANGHAI, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar has become a favored destination of Chinese visitors for the upcoming Spring Festival holiday, according to booking records of Chinese travel agencies.
"For this Spring Festival holiday, our platform received 50 percent more reservations to Myanmar than last year, and most visitors will welcome their Chinese New Year there," said Shanghai-based Trip.com Group Saturday.
Over 2,000 Shanghai visitors have booked trips through Spring Tour, one of China's leading travel companies, to Myanmar during the Spring Festival and will enjoy tours to Yangon, Bagan, Mandalay, Naypyidaw and other destinations, said the company.
"Myanmar culture is becoming more attractive to Chinese tourists," said Zhou Weihong, deputy general manager of Spring Tour.
In 2019, over 50,000 Chinese booked trips to Myanmar through platforms of Trip.com Group, both for business and leisure, up 50 percent year on year. Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu were among the major sources, said the group.
According to Spring Tour, nearly 30,000 Chinese have traveled to Myanmar since Spring Airlines opened a direct flight from Shanghai to Yangon last July.
"In recent years, closer ties between China and Myanmar have prompted more profound people-to-people exchanges between the two countries," Zhou said.
