Their country is now the top contributor to world tourism. But in response to the spread of a novel coronavirus, Chinese authorities have suspended package holidays and advised nationals to avoid foreign travel. Here are some facts about the worldwide role of Chinese tourism:* Mainland China with its 1.3 billion inhabitants is the top contributor to world tourism numbers with 150 million foreign trips in 2018. In Europe, Chinese visitors account for around 30 percent of duty-free sales, according to sector specialists Planet. * The global impact on world tourism of the H1N1 swine flu epidemic that broke out in 2009 is estimated at $55 billion, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), an industry body.

Source: New Strait Times February 03, 2020 14:15 UTC