China is witnessing a significant resurgence in tourism activity, with new industry reports revealing strong growth across domestic, inbound, and outbound travel segments as the country intensifies efforts to position itself as a leading global tourism destination.
Data presented during ITB China 2026 on May 26 highlighted the rapid expansion of China’s tourism economy, driven by visa liberalisation measures, rising demand for experiential travel, and evolving consumer preferences among Chinese travellers.
The findings were shared through reports and presentations from the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Messe Berlin, Tourism Economics, digital technology partners, and travel industry stakeholders, underscoring the growing importance of China within the global tourism landscape.
Visa-Free Policies Fuel Strong Inbound Tourism Recovery
During the Sino-European Union Dialogue held at ITB China, Xu Rong, First-Level Inspector at the Bureau of International Exchanges under China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, stated that the country has entered a new stage of “mass tourism” development as travel becomes increasingly integrated into everyday lifestyles.
According to official figures presented during the event, domestic trips within China reached 6.522 billion in the past year, representing a year-on-year increase of 16.2 percent. Outbound travel by mainland Chinese residents climbed to 168 million trips, while inbound travel totalled 154 million arrivals.
Of the inbound visitors, approximately 30.8 million were foreign nationals benefiting from China’s expanding visa-free travel arrangements, reflecting a year-on-year increase of nearly 50 percent compared with 2024 levels.
The sharp rise in international arrivals has contributed significantly to the country’s tourism economy, which recorded overall annual growth of 9.9 percent.
Industry experts believe China’s ongoing visa facilitation strategy is playing a central role in rebuilding international visitor confidence and supporting tourism recovery following several years of global travel disruption.
Chinese Travellers Seek Experience-Led and Lifestyle-Oriented Tourism
Xu noted that travel demand within China is becoming increasingly diversified, with travellers shifting away from conventional sightseeing toward lifestyle-driven, high-quality, and experience-centric tourism.
“Tourism has become a necessity for people’s pursuit of a better life,” Xu stated during the presentation.
She added that emerging tourism trends and evolving business models are driving a new era of high-quality tourism development across the country.
Recent travel trends among Chinese consumers include music and concert tourism centred around major entertainment events, sports tourism, educational and heritage-focused travel experiences, gastronomic exploration, and rural tourism initiatives aimed at revitalising local economies in remote areas.
Analysts observe that Chinese travellers are increasingly prioritising authenticity, cultural immersion, wellness, and personalised itineraries over traditional mass-market travel formats.
ITB China Travel Trends Report Highlights Emerging Destinations
Earlier during the event, Lydia Li, Deputy Managing Director of Messe Berlin (China), presented key insights from the 2026–2027 ITB China Travel Trends Report.
The report was developed collaboratively by Tourism Economics, Ant International, online travel platform Fliggy, and Messe Berlin, offering a detailed overview of changing travel behaviours among Chinese consumers.
Li described China as not only one of the world’s most significant travel markets but also an increasingly mature and experience-oriented one.
“China is not only a pivotal market in terms of global travel, but it is also becoming more mature, more independent, and more experience-oriented,” she said.
According to the report, traditional outbound favourites such as Japan, Thailand, South Korea, and the United Statesremain among the top destinations for Chinese outbound travellers.
However, the report also identified several emerging destinations gaining popularity among Chinese tourists, including Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Iceland, and Cambodia.
Nordic countries are increasingly attracting Chinese visitors due to their unique cultural experiences and natural attractions, while Cambodia’s value-driven tourism offerings have strengthened its appeal among cost-conscious travellers.
Authenticity, Flexibility and Value Drive Travel Decisions
The report identified three key expectations shaping the travel choices of Chinese consumers:
- Destinations must offer authentic and unique experiences;
- Travellers continue to seek value for money, although they are increasingly willing to spend more on memorable and meaningful experiences;
- Travel products should offer flexibility and personalisation tailored to individual preferences.
Industry observers note that these preferences are reshaping how destinations, airlines, hotels, and travel operators market themselves to Chinese travellers, with greater emphasis on customisation, experiential tourism, wellness, sustainability, and cultural immersion.
China Strengthens Destination Appeal While Addressing Challenges
The ITB China report also highlighted notable improvements in China’s tourism infrastructure, attractions, services, and visitor amenities over the past year.
Among the country’s major tourism strengths identified in the report are its extensive historical and cultural heritage, diverse natural landscapes, rich culinary traditions, and overall public safety.
However, the report also acknowledged several ongoing challenges affecting the visitor experience for international travellers.
These include language barriers, relatively high flight costs and long-haul travel times, payment system complexities for foreign visitors, and the need for continued improvements in hygiene and safety standards.
Tourism experts believe addressing these issues will be critical for China as it seeks to sustain inbound tourism growth and compete more aggressively in the global travel market.
With outbound travel demand continuing to rise and inbound tourism rebounding strongly under visa-free initiatives, China is increasingly positioned as both one of the world’s largest tourism source markets and a rapidly evolving global destination in its own right.
