During the New Year's Day holiday this year, a popular travel option for foreign tourists was coming to China to ring in the new year. Booking data indicates that from January 1 to 3, over 320,000 inbound flight tickets were booked, growing by approximately 11 percent year on year.

Policies such as extending visa-free periods, expanding visa-free coverage, and optimizing entry services have facilitated travel for foreigners. Several foreign media reported the sustained strong growth momentum of China's tourism industry and China's important position in the global tourism market.

Destination of appeal and opportunities

According to the U.S. magazine Travel And Tour World, visa-free entry and the ability to make card payments have ushered in a new era in Chinese tourism.

In the first three quarters of 2025, the number of foreigners entering China on a visa-free basis reached 20.89 million, an increase of over 50 percent compared to the previous year.

Sales eligible for tax refunds on departure also grew by about 98.8 percent year on year. "Going to China with an empty suitcase" has become a new trend on overseas social media platforms.

Gloria Guevara, CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), said at the 2025 Global Tourism Economy Forum, "China plays a significant role in the global tourism economy." With the implementation of the visa-free policy, the inbound tourism market in China is gearing up for growth. Emerging tourist destinations have become a new driving force, and China's appeal as a business travel and leisure vacation destination is increasing.

The long-term forecast by the WTTC indicates that thanks to its rapid development, China is expected to become the world's largest tourism market within the next few years.

Brazilian news and political analysis website Brasil 247 reported that from cutting-edge trends to intelligent technologies, the shopping experience in China is resonating in sync with the global travel boom.

Rising forms of culture + technology

Home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Huangshan city in Anhui province in eastern China has introduced two measures: the "Digital Huizhou" project and the "time-slotted reservation + carbon credit" ecological management model. The latter promotes the diversion of tourists through digital platforms, reducing the pressure on the capacity of popular scenic spots to receive visitors.

Vedomosti, a Russian-language business daily newspaper published in Moscow, said this marks a shift in Huangshan's two World Heritage Sites from mass tourism to a new paradigm where culture, technology and sustainable development operate in a coordinated manner.

In Vedomosti's report, Svetlana Batanova, senior lecturer of the Financial University in Russia, said immersive interaction transforms tourists from passive observers into active participants, which is particularly important for attracting youngsters and preserving traditional culture.

The Russian website Kam24 reported that China's innovative technologies, unique culture and impressive infrastructure projects are transforming the traditional way of leisure and vacation, offering tourists distinctive experiences.

Today, "technology + tourism" not only represents China's competitive edge but also has become a trend, setting new standards for the tourism industry and shaping China's image as a tourist destination.