(Yicai) Aug. 13 -- Visa applications by Chinese citizens returned to 70 percent of the amount in 2019 in the first half of this year, according to a report by VFS Global, a visa services agency under US private equity giant Blackstone.

The number of visa applications VFS Global processed in China surged 88 percent in the six months ended June 30 from a year earlier, according to the report.

“Major destinations for visa applications for Chinese travelers include Canada, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States,” the report showed. Even though most Chinese applicants still originate from first-tier cities, there has been a significant increase in visa applications from lower-tier cities, including Chengdu, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Nanjing, and Shenyang.

“As one of our largest and most important source markets, China is experiencing a peak in visa applications,” said Kishen Singh, VFS Global’s chief operating officer for the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, and Mongolia. “With the resumption of flights and changes in visa policies, there has been a significant increase in the enthusiasm of Chinese citizens for high-end outbound tourism.

“Especially among the younger generation, there is a greater emphasis on ‘travel purpose’ rather than just the ‘destination’ when planning outbound trips,” Singh noted. “Diverse tourism demands such as vacations, attending concerts and sports events, medical treatment, and health management have led to a dynamic peak season for the outbound travel industry.”

Singh predicted that VFS Global’s visa applications from China should fully return to the pre-pandemic level in 2019 next year, while the recovery rate will remain at 70 percent this year.

Visa institutions still need more time to re-hire staffers after the large-scale layoffs during the Covid-19 pandemic, which affects visa processing efficiency, Singh told Yicai. Therefore, the time required to process visas can be longer than expected, especially during the peak season.

Founded in 2001, VFS Global has 3,388 visa application centers in 145 countries and regions, including 400 in 16 Chinese cities, according to its official website.

Editors: Dou Shicong, Futura Costaglione