Passengers stop for a thermal screening at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang January 21, 2020. — Reuters pic
But businesses in destinations that rely on the huge numbers of Chinese tourists are already feeling the heat, with complaints of “deserted” beaches and shops, and concerns about the future. In Japan, the fall in Chinese visitors was already being felt in Asakusa, a popular tourist destination near the Sensoji temple.
And the effects will be felt beyond hotels, restaurants and tourist sites, because many Chinese tourists visit Japan specifically to shop. Tourism accounts for 18 per cent of the nation’s GDP, with Chinese holidaymakers making up more than a quarter of total arrivals. Chinese visitor numbers doubled in the six years to June 2019, with mainlanders now accounting for 15 per cent of Australia’s inbound tourists.