Online searches for Chinese airline tickets on domestic and international routes surged on Wednesday, after Beijing said it would slash COVID-19 quarantine requirements and made changes to a state-mandated mobile app used for local travel.
It came a day after Beijing eased quarantine rules and as Shanghai resumed restaurant dining following a two-month lockdown that brought China's largest city to a halt and infuriated residents.
The two policies triggered a surge in travel inquiries.
The Qunar platform reporting that searches for air tickets rose 60% and doubled for hotels in the 30 minutes after Wednesday's announcement.
Rival Ly.com reported a similar rise, and flagged a jump in interest for tickets to China from locations including Japan, Singapore and South Korea.
The unexpected moves mark a significant easing of rigid curbs that have severely curtailed travel and battered China's economy, although tough measures remain in place including a scarcity of international flights, and many social media users voiced caution.
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