China Opens Up: What Zero-COVID Ending Means for Asian Travel

In early December 2022, China's CDC deputy director Feng Zijian signalled that the country's zero-COVID approach could not continue. Nationwide protests and economic pressure had forced a reckoning. Within weeks, China began dropping travel quarantine and testing requirements for international arrivals, marking the end of nearly three years of strict isolation.

For Asia-Pacific travellers, this was transformative news. China had been sealed off for nearly three years; opening it meant a wave of Chinese tourists returning to Southeast Asia and beyond. Airlines rapidly added capacity on routes to Thailand, Vietnam, Bali, and the Philippines. Sri Lanka, as a destination, would benefit as Chinese tourists began exploring the Indian Ocean region.

For Sri Lankans, the practical impact was more flight options to and through Asia, plus competition on shared routes. Airlines adjust fares when major markets open; the flood of Chinese travellers driving demand often helps keep prices competitive for other regional passengers. By early 2023, routes to and through Asia were reshaping to reflect this new demand.