(Yicai Global) Feb. 20 -- The prices of outbound group tours from China have surged since they were allowed to resume on Feb. 6, and prices will only come down once there are more flights available and supporting overseas services are restored, online news outlet The Paper reported today.

The average price of a group tour has jumped by about 30 percent from pre-pandemic levels, largely due to the limited number of flights, higher airfares and smaller group sizes, the report said, citing Zhang Mingyang, a researcher at Tongcheng Research Institute.

There are only around one third of the international flights that were available in pre-pandemic times, resulting in higher costs, industry insiders said. For instance, the frequency of flights to Thailand is down to just 10 percent and 20 percent of normal levels.

Chinese travel agencies taking tour groups overseas need to completely re-establish local services, such as Mandarin-speaking tour guides and Chinese restaurants, as so much has changed in the past three years during the pandemic, the report said.

Many Chinese restaurants that once offered meals to Chinese tour groups closed down during the pandemic, giving tour groups fewer and more costly options, a travel agent said. It may take about six months for the guide situation to get back to normal and at least a year for eating-out to stabilize.

But luxury tours remain popular among the ultra-rich. "Our 'Around the World in 121 Days' Mediterranean cruise trip departing in 2024 is doing surprisingly well," said an insider from UTour Group. The first batch of tickets, priced at nearly CNY200,000 (USD29,167) each, have sold out.

Editor: Kim Taylor