China’s visa-free push is paying off: Foreign tourist arrivals jump 20%: Report
China’s visa-free tourism push is gaining traction, with foreign tourist arrivals rising 20% in the first half of 2026 as millions of travellers take advantage of easier entry rules. With 18 million visitors from visa-free countries in H1 2026, Beijing’s strategy is helping revive inbound tourism after years of pandemic-era disruption.
- Aug 13, 2026,
- Updated Aug 13, 2026 4:35 AM IST
China’s push to revive inbound tourism is gaining momentum, with foreign arrivals rising sharply as visa-free entry, social-media campaigns and cheaper airfares attract international visitors. Foreign tourist arrivals increased 20% in the first half of 2026, with 18 million people arriving from countries eligible for visa-free entry, according to data cited by Bloomberg News.
Visa-free travel
The surge marks a significant turnaround for China’s tourism industry after years of pandemic-related restrictions. Around 35 million foreign tourists visited China in 2025, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, taking the country closer to established Asian tourism markets.
Visa-free travel has emerged as a major driver of the recovery. More than 70% of foreign travellers arriving in China in 2025 entered under visa-free arrangements, a sharp increase from the previous year.
China began gradually expanding visa-free access in 2023 as Beijing sought to rebuild international tourism and restore travel links disrupted during the pandemic. The initial recovery was slow, partly because of lingering perceptions from China’s strict Covid restrictions and the delayed restoration of international flight routes.
The momentum has since accelerated. Countries leading the tourism surge include South Korea, Russia, Malaysia and Thailand, according to the data. Beijing has also recorded strong growth in arrivals from Vietnam and Russia. Japanese arrivals, meanwhile, have declined amid a diplomatic dispute between the two countries.
Tourism marketing
China's visa policy has been accompanied by a major push to promote the country to international travellers. Local tourism authorities have increasingly turned to global social-media platforms, including X and TikTok, despite both being blocked within China.
Cities are using influencers, celebrities and online campaigns to showcase destinations beyond traditional attractions such as the Great Wall and the Terracotta Warriors. Chongqing, with its dramatic mountain landscape and neon-lit skyline, has been particularly aggressive in trying to become an international social-media destination.
The strategy is also encouraging younger tourists to explore China's consumer and technology ecosystem. Shopping at Pop Mart, visiting Chinese beauty brands, trying hot pot and exploring companies such as Huawei and DJI are increasingly becoming part of foreign visitors' itineraries.
Local governments are putting financial resources behind the campaign. Beijing received an additional 2.64 million yuan in 2026 for tourism-related staffing and online publicity initiatives. Shanghai is expected to spend at least 1.6 million yuan on promotional campaigns through international hotel-booking platforms such as Expedia and Booking.com, according to official procurement documents.
Tourism spending remains a challenge
Despite the strong recovery in arrivals, China has yet to translate its tourism boom into spending on the scale of other major destinations.
Inbound tourism accounted for less than 0.5% of China's GDP in 2025, according to Chinese media reports, compared with about 8% in mature tourism economies such as Spain and Thailand. Trip.com data cited by Bloomberg News also shows China's per-capita inbound tourist spending at around $2,240, roughly 40% of the US level.
For Beijing, the next challenge is therefore to turn visa-free access into longer stays, greater tourist spending and repeat visits. The sharp rise in arrivals suggests the policy is working. The bigger test will be whether China's tourism revival can develop into a sustained source of consumer spending and economic growth.
China’s push to revive inbound tourism is gaining momentum, with foreign arrivals rising sharply as visa-free entry, social-media campaigns and cheaper airfares attract international visitors. Foreign tourist arrivals increased 20% in the first half of 2026, with 18 million people arriving from countries eligible for visa-free entry, according to data cited by Bloomberg News.
Visa-free travel
The surge marks a significant turnaround for China’s tourism industry after years of pandemic-related restrictions. Around 35 million foreign tourists visited China in 2025, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, taking the country closer to established Asian tourism markets.
Visa-free travel has emerged as a major driver of the recovery. More than 70% of foreign travellers arriving in China in 2025 entered under visa-free arrangements, a sharp increase from the previous year.
China began gradually expanding visa-free access in 2023 as Beijing sought to rebuild international tourism and restore travel links disrupted during the pandemic. The initial recovery was slow, partly because of lingering perceptions from China’s strict Covid restrictions and the delayed restoration of international flight routes.
The momentum has since accelerated. Countries leading the tourism surge include South Korea, Russia, Malaysia and Thailand, according to the data. Beijing has also recorded strong growth in arrivals from Vietnam and Russia. Japanese arrivals, meanwhile, have declined amid a diplomatic dispute between the two countries.
Tourism marketing
China's visa policy has been accompanied by a major push to promote the country to international travellers. Local tourism authorities have increasingly turned to global social-media platforms, including X and TikTok, despite both being blocked within China.
Cities are using influencers, celebrities and online campaigns to showcase destinations beyond traditional attractions such as the Great Wall and the Terracotta Warriors. Chongqing, with its dramatic mountain landscape and neon-lit skyline, has been particularly aggressive in trying to become an international social-media destination.
The strategy is also encouraging younger tourists to explore China's consumer and technology ecosystem. Shopping at Pop Mart, visiting Chinese beauty brands, trying hot pot and exploring companies such as Huawei and DJI are increasingly becoming part of foreign visitors' itineraries.
Local governments are putting financial resources behind the campaign. Beijing received an additional 2.64 million yuan in 2026 for tourism-related staffing and online publicity initiatives. Shanghai is expected to spend at least 1.6 million yuan on promotional campaigns through international hotel-booking platforms such as Expedia and Booking.com, according to official procurement documents.
Tourism spending remains a challenge
Despite the strong recovery in arrivals, China has yet to translate its tourism boom into spending on the scale of other major destinations.
Inbound tourism accounted for less than 0.5% of China's GDP in 2025, according to Chinese media reports, compared with about 8% in mature tourism economies such as Spain and Thailand. Trip.com data cited by Bloomberg News also shows China's per-capita inbound tourist spending at around $2,240, roughly 40% of the US level.
For Beijing, the next challenge is therefore to turn visa-free access into longer stays, greater tourist spending and repeat visits. The sharp rise in arrivals suggests the policy is working. The bigger test will be whether China's tourism revival can develop into a sustained source of consumer spending and economic growth.