(ECNS) -- China's inbound tourism is growing in volume and improving in quality, expanding beyond major cities into smaller cities and counties, according to a report released at a conference at Wudang Mountain in Hubei Province on Sunday.
The 2026 Report on the Influence of China's Tourism Industry, released at the 13th China Tourism Industry Development Conference, attributed the growth to a combination of favorable visa policies and measures to facilitate travel to China.
Wu Liyun, executive deputy director of the China Academy of Culture and Tourism Industries at Beijing International Studies University, who presented the report, said inbound visitors were moving beyond first-tier cities such as Beijing and exploring county-level destinations. Visitors now travel to nearly 500 cities across China, while content about rural travel in China has garnered more than 5 billion views on TikTok.
“Chinese-style living is becoming a lifestyle that tourists are eager to experience,” Wu said, noting that foreign visitors are practicing Baduanjin, a traditional Chinese qigong exercise, watching Chinese TV dramas and taking part in cultural activities, technology-focused tours and shopping trips.
China received 22.914 million visits by foreign nationals in the first half of 2026, up 20.4% year on year, according to the report. Nearly 80% of those visits were visa-free entries, which increased 30.6% from a year earlier. Inbound tourism also generated 229.2 billion yuan ($32.1 billion) in travel services exports, up 31.1% year on year.
Miao Muyang, director general of the Industrial Development Department at China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism, said at the conference that foreign visitors were no longer limiting themselves to traditional tourist routes and attractions. Increasingly, they were venturing into local neighborhoods and factories to experience everyday life and explore cutting-edge technologies.
Inbound tourism is shifting from "seeing China" to "experiencing China," Miao said.
Xu Peng, vice president of the World Tourism Alliance and president of the Zhejiang Tourism Association, said that despite the positive trend, short stays and limited spending remained the most pressing challenges facing China's inbound tourism sector.
He called for the development of more high-value-added tourism products centered on immersive cultural experiences, drawing on local intangible cultural heritage, villages, culinary traditions and distinctive industries.
Xu also urged the industry to prioritize shopping to improve the quality and efficiency of inbound tourism. He suggested adapting premium Chinese-made goods, high-quality electronics and cultural and creative products for international consumers through better packaging design, multilingual product information and explanations of their cultural significance.
He also called for expanding the network of stores offering departure tax refunds and strengthening links between major cities, surrounding areas and distinctive rural destinations, encouraging visitors to stay longer, experience more and spend more.
(By Helen Mo)
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