OREANDA-NEWS. Fitch Ratings expects the strong growth of tourism to persist in Asia-Pacific, even as China's GDP growth decelerates as the economy rebalances from investment to consumption. Asia-Pacific is the biggest beneficiary of the Chinese tourism boom, being the destination of over 80% of Chinese outbound travel. The proportion of households with the financial capacity to travel remains fairly low, leaving plenty of room for growth.

Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Korea remain the most popular destinations for Chinese tourists. However, evidence from the first three quarters of 2015 suggests there has been a shift in taste, with more visitors to Japan, Thailand, New Zealand and Australia. Sri Lanka has seen the fastest growth in Chinese tourists over the past five years, albeit from a low base. Tourism revenues can make a major contribution to current account receipts, and provide diversification benefits next to merchandise imports.