China saw a big increase in inbound tourism last year following a major push by Beijing to attract foreign visitors, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics last Friday.
The number of foreign visitor entries totaled 26.94 million and revenue from international travelers reached $94.2 billion last year, up 95.5 percent and 77.8 percent, respectively, from 2023. These figures still lag pre-pandemic figures, however, with the number of entries and revenue equivalent to around 85 percent and 91 percent, respectively, of 2019 levels.
In the past two years, the Chinese government has sought to reinvigorate inbound tourism after the number of visitors plummeted during the pandemic. It has taken the unprecedented move of unilaterally relaxing visa requirements for 38 countries as well as expanding its policy of visa-free entry for transit travelers staying 10 days or less to the citizens of 54 countries.
Among last year’s foreign visitor entries, 20.1 million or 74.6 percent were visa-free, according to the latest figures from the National Immigration Administration – an increase of 112.3 percent from 2023. Visa-free entries spiked at the end of the year after the policy was extended to 18 countries in November, most of them European.
In Shanghai, data released by the city’s tourism bureau shows that South Korea was the biggest source of tourists for the city in 2024 after its visa-free policy came into effect last year. On Chinese social media, memes and videos of South Koreans packing certain restaurants and establishments, including barbecue shops and bakeries, have gone viral.
Beside visa-free policies, officials have also taken steps to make traveling in China more convenient for foreigners, including allowing foreign bank cards to be linked to WeChat and Alipay, the digital payment apps essential for buying everything in China from train tickets to meals. While these have improved the tourist experience, structural issues remain, such as the reduced number of flights to China post-pandemic.
The recently concluded Spring Festival indicates that foreign tourist numbers will continue to rise in 2025. China saw an increase of 22.9 percent in foreign visitors during this year’s festival period compared to last year’s.
Meanwhile, domestic tourism has recovered much faster and even broke several records in 2024, the second year following the lifting of pandemic restrictions. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, revenue from domestic tourism hit a record 5.75 trillion renminbi (commonly called the yuan), or around $790 billion, a 17.1 percent increase from 2023 and a 0.5 percent rise from 2019. Average expenditure totaled 1,024 yuan per trip, a record high.
A key driver of domestic tourism has been hit TV shows and movies over the past year, which have led to the emergence of new tourist destinations such as China’s remote northwest. For instance, a mini-series set in Xinjiang called “To the Wonder” became a surprise hit among young Chinese urbanites last year, resulting in a record-breaking 302 million visitors to the troubled region last year.
But while domestic tourism has exploded despite an economic downturn, the recovery for outbound tourism has been markedly slower. According to the latest data, mainland Chinese made 145.89 million trips abroad in 2024, equivalent to 86 percent of 2019 levels. Experts predict that outbound tourism will return to pre-pandemic levels this year.