From measures such as reducing waiting time and promoting self-service declaration at ports, to opening more international direct flight routes, expanding the 2-hour high-speed rail travel circle and other diversified transportation modes, to payment methods such as “large card swiping, small QR code scanning, and cash backing” covering various consumption scenarios, foreign tourists have experienced the convenience of the entire journey from entry to the “last mile” of destination.
With the continuous improvement of tourism convenience, foreign tourists in China are no longer satisfied with sightseeing and sightseeing, but pursue immersive experiences. They either stroll among the mountains and rivers, feeling the magnificence of nature; Or listen to Peking Opera, appreciate intangible cultural heritage, visit museums, and appreciate the beauty of cultural exchange and mutual learning; Or travel around the city to experience the “fireworks” of Chinese people. At the same time, they are also willing to try autonomous ride hailing and electronic payments, experiencing the development achievements of China, and China’s tourism has more “ways to open up”.
In the red walls and yellow tiles of the Forbidden City in Beijing, faces of different skin colors gather together; Under the neon lights of the Bund in Shanghai, languages from various countries interweave into a joyful symphony; In the Dunhuang Grottoes, the millennium murals tell the history of cultural exchanges; In the wonder of Mount Huangshan’s sea of clouds, Greeting Pine has attracted the enthusiasm of visitors from all over the world… For some time, “China Tour” has become a popular search term, tourists from all over the world have come in droves, and the land of China has ushered in a lively scene. According to the report of the National Migration Administration on September 18, 554000 foreigners came and went during the Mid-Autumn Festival this year, an increase of 62.2% over the same period last year.
Can China tourism be a ‘just leave’ trip? At Beijing Zoo, the reporter met Sophia, a Luxembourgish girl who came specifically to “visit” the giant panda Menglan. Thanks to China’s policy of expanding the scope of visa free countries in March this year, eligible citizens of Luxembourg can enter China visa free. Sofia arranged this trip to China during her spare time. I’m coming with my passport! “She exclaimed excitedly. According to popular recommendations on social media, Sofia has already visited multiple attractions and strongly recommends everyone to come and see China.
As of the end of August, a 15 day visa free entry policy has been implemented for 15 countries, and visa free exchanges have been added with 6 countries including Singapore and Thailand. The 144 hour transit visa free policy has been extended to 37 ports and 54 countries, and payment services have been continuously optimized. In recent years, a series of policy measures to facilitate foreign visitors to China have brought foreign tourists closer to China. According to statistics, in the first seven months of this year, 17.254 million foreigners entered the country at various ports, up 129.9% year on year.
Data shows that popular destinations for overseas tourists visiting China include Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and others. Chengdu, Xi’an, and Chongqing have attracted numerous overseas tourists with their unique historical and cultural features; Zhuhai, Xiamen and other places are experiencing a surge in popularity due to their beautiful natural scenery. The number of inbound tourist orders in the county market surged this summer, and Dali, Yiwu, Yanji, Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area, Tongxiang and other places have become new favourites for overseas tourists.
Young people are the main group of tourists coming to China, and they are also active creators of tourism promotion content. Currently, the popularity of travel topics on overseas social media remains high. Both internet celebrities and ordinary tourists are willing to share their rich and colorful experiences of traveling to China online. Under their lens, China’s open, inclusive, and colorful image is vividly presented.
What is the attraction behind the popularity of Chinese tourism?
If a country puts all its energy into improving people’s livelihoods and promoting national development, this is the feedback you can see. Only by truly visiting and experiencing can one appreciate the charm of Chinese culture. China is one of the safest countries I have ever been to. From the sharing of foreign tourists, we can gain answers. The continuously enhancing comprehensive national strength, open and inclusive cultural charm, and constantly developing innovation strength are all the key words they have gained from Chinese tourism.
Guinea tourist Sire Bald came to China for the first time and was able to proficiently use mobile payment in just two days. He enjoyed riding a small yellow bike and made new friends through adding WeChat. He spoke highly of China’s convenient digital lifestyle and said that this trip was full of gains. Brazilian young man Wagner Raseldanites has a deep love for Chinese culture and has traveled to many parts of China: “The experience of traveling to China, from visas to transportation, accommodation, language communication, and other aspects, is very smooth. China’s transportation system is developed and convenient, especially the high-speed rail network, which covers a wide range, allowing me to easily travel to various cities and explore different attractions and cultures. In China, I have experienced the diversity and inclusiveness of culture here. The beauty of China is worth savoring carefully
Dai Bin, President of the China Tourism Research Institute, stated that the booming rise of inbound tourism not only highlights the strong attractiveness of the Chinese tourism market and China’s continuously increasing international influence, but also effectively stimulates the consumption vitality of the domestic market by introducing rich international customer sources. At the same time, as a bridge for cultural exchanges, inbound tourism helps foreign tourists to have a better understanding of China and enhance the friendship between people of all countries.
Appreciating the magnificent mountains and waters from multiple perspectives
Zhangjiajie City in Hunan Province has a unique natural environment and is a popular tourist destination favored by overseas tourists. In the first half of this year, the number of inbound tourists to Zhangjiajie reached 910000, an increase of 569% compared to 2023.
International tourists flock here, how can we improve our reception capacity? Tian Hongman stated that firstly, the port services will be optimized. Through measures such as optimizing processes and constructing smart ports, the clearance time for inbound and outbound passengers at the port will be reduced to less than half an hour per flight; Secondly, optimize payment services and take the lead in piloting the “remittance wallet” service for inbound tourism nationwide; Thirdly, we will optimize multilingual services and issue multi lingual tour guide certificates to thousands of international tourism talents; The fourth is to improve the experience of scenic spots and attractions, construct high standard accessible channels, charging stations and other supporting service facilities, and gradually popularize explanatory headsets in 4A level and above scenic spots to comprehensively enhance the experience of tourists.
The increasing popularity of inbound tourism has also promoted the improvement of local tourism services and overall business models. Tian Jianbing, Executive Vice General Manager of Zhangjiajie Qixingshan, has a deep understanding of this: “International tourists deeply experience Zhangjiajie’s natural scenery and cultural history, which helps to form a reputation effect and enhance Zhangjiajie’s global visibility
My friends around me all say Zhangjiajie is great, and this time we came here because of its reputation. “At Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, tourist Kim So from South Korea raised his phone to take a photo.” I love the scenery here, the green mountains and clear waters, and the misty sea make people feel relaxed and happy. “Jack from Illinois, USA, couldn’t put down the Tujia ethnic costumes in Zhangjiajie’s 72 Wonders Tower scenic area:” The clothing style here is unique, with ethnic customs, and refreshing
Experience the charm of the mountain city up close
With a light and lively boarding bell, Chongqing Yangtze River Steamship Co., Ltd.’s cruise ship “Changhang Chaotian Xinghe” embarked on a night tour. Good evening, welcome to Chongqing Liangjiang Tour, “said Lu Wei, a uniformed and smiling flight attendant, standing at the entrance of the cabin to welcome the boarding guests. Four tourists from the United States looked hesitant and said, “We haven’t had a chance to exchange Chinese yuan yet.” “The cruise ship is equipped with POS machines, you can pay by card, don’t panic,” Lu Wei said. The reporter saw that in addition to providing foreign card swiping services, the cruise ship is also equipped with employees proficient in foreign languages and multilingual translators, making payments more convenient.
As a popular tourist city in western China, Chongqing is constantly improving its convenient services for international tourists. In the past, buying tickets for scenic spots was a major pain point for foreign tourists because they did not have an ID card and could only queue up to purchase tickets after arriving at the scenic spot. This year, many scenic spots in Chongqing have specially opened online ticket purchasing options for passports, saving foreign tourists time queuing up. Taking the Three Gorges Museum as an example, “foreign tourists can make an appointment to enter the museum through their passports on the official account. In order to facilitate understanding the museum’s cultural relics, international friends can also apply for voice guided rental services with their passports.” The head of Yuzhong District Culture and Tourism Commission said. “In the past, American tourists loved to visit Chongqing Stilwell Museum by the Jialing River, European tourists loved cultural landscapes such as Dazu Rock Carvings and Ciqikou, and the Three Gorges tourism was the main route for all international tourists…” After more than 20 years of employment, Yang Shunhua had a template for international tourists’ preferences, but he found that the template was somewhat ineffective. “In the past, when I asked people about their impressions of Chongqing, no one could answer, but now many international tourists will blurt out ‘mountain city’ and ‘hotpot’.” During this period of time, Yang Shunhua received tour groups from Singapore, Malaysia, Canada and other countries, and found that guests asked to go to marble, Changjiahui, Hongya Cave, etc. The landmark building with Chongqing’s characteristic folk customs will clock in, and you will go to Nanshan to eat hot pot and enjoy the night view in the evening to feel the charm of the mountain city at a close distance. This indicates that international friends have an increasingly rich and comprehensive understanding of China
