Traveling into the future

Relaxed visa policies for Chinese and other reasons have steered more Chinese traveling the world to Japan.[Photo by Liu Zhe/China Daily]

South Korea, Japan and Southeast Asia are expected to remain the top destinations this year thanks to policies and proximity, says Yan Xin, publicity manager of China's biggest online travel agency.

Shopping is expected to give more vim to Japan.

It plans to give consumption-tax rebates for inbound tourists who spend up to 5,000 yen ($41.5) this year.

About 400,000 travelers spent 100 billion yen over last weeklong National Day holiday alone.

(About 41 percent of Chinese polled by Ctrip say they'd bring an extra suitcase for purchases.)

The Belt and Road Initiative will likely benefit Southeast Asia.

And the United States will in 2016, the US-China Tourism Year, gain from the 10-year multi-entry visa policy announced at APEC in November of 2014, Yan says.

Russia will expand its visa waiver beyond Chinese group travelers who book through accredited agencies to individual travelers this year.