At the Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone in Sanya, performers and foreign tourists dance the bamboo pole dance. (Photo by Chen Wenwu/People's Daily Online)
Beijing welcomes its first batch of inbound tourists in 2026. (Photo provided by Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism)
Foreign tourists change into costumes at the immersive restaurant "TASTE OF CHINA" in Shanghai. (Photo provided by interviewee)
Foreign tourists experience a long street banquet in Puyuan Ancient Town, Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province. (Photo provided by interviewee)
At the start of the new year, many regions welcomed their first batches of inbound tourists in 2026. Today, more and more inbound tourists are coming to China to travel, shop, and experience the good life. A recent report by Ctrip, the "2025 China Inbound Tourism Annual Report" (hereinafter referred to as the "Report"), shows that inbound tourism orders increased by 100% in the first three quarters of 2025, with orders from visa-free countries increasing by an average of 153%. Inbound tourists are enjoying a smoother and more convenient experience in China. They not only love traditional popular cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, but also prefer in-depth exploration of China to experience its rich culture. China's inbound tourism is undergoing a critical period of transition from "quantity recovery" to "quality leap," with enormous development potential.
A great start to the new year!
“I used to live and study in Beijing and have a deep affection for the city. When I saw that there were suitable flights available for the New Year, I bought a ticket to Beijing and I’m really looking forward to this trip to China,” said Moritz, a German tourist, excitedly.
On New Year's Day, tourists from Germany, Argentina, Brazil, South Korea, and other countries arrived at Beijing Capital International Airport. Beijing held a welcoming ceremony for the first batch of inbound tourists in 2026. Zheng Fang, Deputy Director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, stated that by 2025, Beijing had received over 5 million inbound tourists, marking a crucial stage in the transition from "facilitation" to "high-quality development."
Many foreign tourists traveled to China to celebrate the New Year. Data from Qunar.com shows that during the New Year's Day holiday, travelers using non-Chinese passports booked domestic flights to destinations covering 97 cities. Shanghai, Guangzhou, Beijing, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Harbin, Haikou, Xiamen, Qingdao, and Hangzhou were popular inbound tourism cities for foreign tourists. The main source countries for inbound tourism during the New Year's Day holiday were Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, and Indonesia, with significant increases also seen in tourists from Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, the United States, and Australia.
During the New Year's Day holiday, Haikou and Sanya saw the fastest growth in inbound airfares nationwide, with increases exceeding 3 times and 5 times respectively. Tourists from Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea, Vietnam, Australia, and Russia were the most popular destinations for Hainan. In addition, many other distinctive small towns, such as Dali, Xishuangbanna, Beihai, Xuzhou, and Zhanjiang, also experienced rapid growth in inbound tourism, with increases exceeding 3 times.
Explore more destinations
The report indicates that South Korea, Singapore, and Malaysia will be the top three source countries for tourists in 2025. In addition, Russia's tourist arrivals are expected to grow by 205% annually, while Australia and Indonesia are also experiencing rapid growth. Climate, specific international holidays, and major international conferences, exhibitions, and sporting events are key factors for foreign tourists deciding when to visit China. In terms of travel planning, there is a clear trend of "advance booking," with foreign tourists from Asia, Europe, and Oceania generally preferring to book their inbound trips more than two weeks in advance.
Beijing and Shanghai are the first stop for many foreign tourists visiting China. They also enjoy exploring the country more deeply and discovering more destinations. Chongqing, with its unique urban landscape and international influencer visits, saw a 170% year-on-year increase in inbound tourist arrivals, with hotel bookings in some business districts increasing eightfold. Datong, Shanxi, benefiting from the Yungang Grottoes and convenient transit options, saw a sevenfold year-on-year increase in ticket sales on the Ctrip platform, becoming a highlight of the year's inbound tourism growth.
The report shows that nearly 100% of overseas social media users generally feel that "traveling to China is a new trend." American tourist Christian posted: "I was amazed by the advanced technology, architecture and scenery on my first trip to China, and I will never forget the friendliness of the Chinese people."
Brazilian tourist Braz, after experiencing the immersive restaurant "TASTE OF CHINA" in Shanghai, said, "Wearing Hanfu and tasting Chinese food felt like stepping into a scene from a movie; everything was incredibly beautiful." Foreign tourists used photos and videos to record vivid "Chinese moments," which were then seen by more people through social media.
The report points out that almost all foreign tourists consider China to be one of the safest travel destinations globally, making it ideal for families and women. Systematic standards and regulations have made "safe travel" a common feedback from foreign tourists, forming a solid foundation for China's status as a mature destination.
Experience a smoother and more convenient
By 2025, a series of pain points for foreign tourists traveling in China will be resolved, making the experience smoother and more convenient.
Russian tourist Kadelev said, "The one-stop service counter at Beijing Capital International Airport made my trip pleasant and convenient. I had all my arrangements in Beijing sorted out before I even left the airport."
The report shows that, to address the confusion surrounding the "first mile" of arrival, Ctrip has established "one-stop service counters for inbound tourism" at airports in Beijing, Shanghai, and other cities, providing a full range of services from arrival information consultation and ESIM card purchase to travel product booking. For scenic spot visits, Ctrip has expanded its multilingual self-service ticket machines to 241 scenic spots nationwide, increasing the number of supported languages from 6 to 16, adding German, French, Russian, and Italian, allowing foreign tourists to easily "travel independently."
The report points out that China's inbound tourism market has huge potential for growth. China possesses favorable conditions for attracting foreign tourists. Currently, China has ample supply capacity in tourism reception, especially in key areas such as hotels and transportation. Meanwhile, the global tourism market is generally facing insufficient supply and rising costs during its recovery process. This makes China's tourism service advantages increasingly prominent, and its attractiveness to foreign tourists continues to strengthen. (Reported by Zhao Shan)
People's Daily Overseas Edition (January 9, 2026, page 12)
