China sees strong inbound tourism growth as new visa policies and tax incentives attract more visitors and diversify travel patterns.
China’s inbound tourism continues to recover strongly, supported by an expanded set of policy reforms aimed at easing travel access, simplifying visa procedures, and enhancing the overall visitor experience.
According to official figures shared during the latest China Economic Roundtable, hosted by Xinhua News Agency, inbound tourist arrivals reached 132 million in 2024, a year-on-year increase of 60.8%. This figure represents 97.2% of 2019 levels. Foreign visitor spending rose by 77.8% year-on-year, totaling $94.2 billion USD.
The upward trend has continued into 2025. In the first quarter alone, inbound arrivals increased by 19.6% compared to the same period in 2024, according to Shi Zeyi, an official from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
The Chinese government has supported the rebound with new measures, including expanded visa-free entry schemes. As of May 2025, China has implemented mutual visa exemption agreements with 29 countries, unilateral visa-free entry for 38 countries, and visa-free transit policies for 54 countries.
The most recent update, effective June 1, 2025, grants visa-free access to nationals of Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay for one year, until May 31, 2026.
Qin Jing, Vice President of Trip.com Group, stated that more foreign tourists are visiting second-tier cities and rural destinations, moving beyond Beijing and Shanghai. Destinations such as Chengdu, Hangzhou, and Xi’an are becoming increasingly popular.
“We have seen foreign visitors learning tea-making in Wuyi Mountain and face-changing performance in Chengdu during the May Day holiday,” said Qin. She added that inbound bookings on Trip.com during the May Day holiday more than doubled compared to the previous year.
Qin also noted a demographic shift: younger travelers are now leading inbound demand, replacing the previously dominant 50–60 age group.
To encourage inbound spending, China has introduced new tax refund measures. These include an on-the-spot departure tax refund model, a reduced minimum purchase requirement for eligibility, a higher cash refund limit, and an expanded list of refundable goods, now including high-tech products such as smartphones, smartwatches, and drones.
Tong Xuejun from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that China is working on additional visa-waiver negotiations and improvements to the online visa application process.
Liu Jia from the National Immigration Administration emphasized the broader purpose of these initiatives: to improve mutual understanding and correct outdated perceptions of China.
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism also plans to roll out more tailored tourism services for diverse visitor segments such as business travelers, backpackers, and seniors. This includes improving payment systems, transportation connectivity, and accommodation options.
For travel professionals, these developments suggest stronger demand for China-focused products in the coming months. The focus on second-tier cities, cultural engagement, and streamlined entry processes offers new opportunities for DMCs, OTAs, wholesalers, and airlines to reshape their China offerings.