China sees surge in inbound tourism

The China International Travel Mart 2024, which is currently underway at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai, hosts an inbound tourism policy promotion event on Nov 22. (Photo by He Qi/chinadaily.com.cn)

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China announced a significant surge in inbound tourism, with the total number of inbound tourists reaching 94.6283 million in the first three quarters of 2024, marking a 78.8 percent increase year-on-year. The announcement was made on Friday during the China International Travel Mart 2024 held at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai.

The event, which runs from Nov 22 to 24, has attracted over 1,000 international exhibitors and nearly 600 overseas travel buyers from more than 80 countries and regions. This initiative aims to promote inbound tourism by showcasing innovative tourism products and routes. Starting Nov 24, overseas travel buyers will visit various provinces and cities, including Shanghai, Chongqing, Jiangsu, Henan, Anhui, and Fujian, to experience these offerings firsthand.

In recent years, the Chinese government has prioritized promoting inbound tourism through coordinated policy measures. One such measure is the implementation of unilateral visa-free policies for 29 countries, including France, Germany, and Australia. Following the introduction of visa-free entry for South Korea on Nov 8, the number of group tour product orders to China on South Korean e-commerce platforms and flight ticket orders to China increased by 91 percent and 134 percent, respectively, according to Gu Hui, the minister counselor of the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China.

To further boost inbound tourism, the department has continuously simplified visa procedures. "We have introduced a new version of the Chinese visa application form, optimizing and simplifying 34 percent of the items, significantly reducing the time required to complete the form," Gu said.

In the field of civil aviation, efforts are being made to resume international flights.

"Since the beginning of this year, the number of international passenger flights has steadily increased, surpassing 6,000 flights per week during the summer, achieving over 80 percent of the annual target," said Shang Kejia, deputy director general of the Department of Air Transport of the Civil Aviation Administration of China. So far, 42 airports, 41 airlines, and 12 ticket sales platforms have facilitated travel and payment, making ticket purchasing, multilingual services, terminal payments, and currency exchange more convenient for inbound tourists.

Shang added that the next step is to enhance comprehensive service counters at major international airports, offering one-stop services for foreigners, including cultural tourism, payment, transportation, and communication services.

"We will support airlines, airports, local governments, and tourism enterprises in building platforms, sharing resources, and promoting regional cultural tourism," Shang said.

To enhance payment convenience for inbound tourists, the People's Bank of China has released the "Guide to Payment Services in China" in eight languages, detailing the use of mobile payments, bank cards, and cash. In addition to working with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to ensure full acceptance of domestic and foreign bank cards at major scenic and resort areas nationwide, the bank has increased the number of foreign currency exchange facilities and optimized the cash usage environment.

In October, offline transactions and amounts with foreign bank cards increased by 184 percent and 150 percent, respectively, compared to February. Over 2.93 million inbound visitors used mobile payments, with the transaction volume tripling that of February, according to Yang Qing, deputy director general of the Payment and Settlement Department of the People's Bank of China.

From January to September 2024, China's travel services imports and exports totaled 1,505.28 billion yuan ($207.7 billion), a 42.8 percent year-on-year increase. Travel services exports (mainly inbound tourism) reached 177.3 billion yuan, up 148.8 percent year-on-year, according to the Ministry of Commerce of China.