IRSA: China as the Global Tourism Industry's "New Engine": A Comprehensive Leap from Policy Innovation to Market Vitality
New York, June 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the latest report from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), China is accelerating toward the ranks of global tourism industry "leaders" through its open approach and innovative practices. In 2025, China's domestic tourism market is projected to exceed RMB 13.7 trillion yuan, injecting robust momentum into the global economy while creating over 83 million jobs. Behind this achievement lies the multi-faceted driving force of China's policy dividends, industrial integration, and consumption upgrading, showcasing China's advantages in openness and inclusiveness, traditional culture, technological advancement, and secure environment. These strengths are attracting international visitors in droves, establishing China as the global tourism industry's "new engine."China continues to open its doors to countries worldwide through the combined policy approach of "visa-free travel + tax refunds." As of June 2025, China has implemented unilateral visa-free policies for 47 countries and extended visa-free transit stays to 240 hours, with 60 additional ports of entry covering 24 provinces. This initiative has significantly enhanced travel convenience for foreign visitors. Data shows that China received 26.94 million international tourists in 2024, representing a 96% year-on-year increase; in the first quarter of 2025, inbound arrivals reached 9.215 million, up 40.2% year-on-year.
Meanwhile, the new "Buy & Tax Refund" departure tax refund policy has yielded remarkable results. In the first month of implementation from April to May 2025, nationwide tax refund transactions increased 116% year-on-year, with sales surging 56%; the pilot "Buy & Tax Refund" program processed 32 times more transactions compared to the same period last year, with cities like Beijing and Shanghai becoming popular consumption destinations for international tourists. Malaysia's Newshubasia commented that these measures not only stimulate inbound consumption but also highlight China's strategic transformation from a "manufacturing powerhouse" to a "service leader."
China leverages technology to empower cultural IP development, creating new "tourism+" business models. Cases such as Forbidden City cultural products and the Long March Digital Art Museum utilize VR and holographic projection technologies to breathe new life into millennia-old culture, attracting younger tourist demographics. In 2024, Shanxi Province's Xishan County saw tourist numbers surge over 300% year-on-year due to the popularity of the video game Black Myth: Wukong, demonstrating the market potential of the "cultural IP + tourism" model. In rural revitalization, China's Xitou Village in Zhejiang Province was selected as one of the "List of Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO" for its celadon pottery craftsmanship, becoming a benchmark for cultural-tourism integration. In 2024, key national rural tourism villages and towns received over 1 billion visitors, driving local economic income growth of 25%. Additionally, China's digital innovations such as Mount Huangshan's "Travel First, Pay Later" program and Shenzhen's integrated cultural-technology system have further enhanced visitor experiences. China's Yangtze River Delta integration provides a "Chinese model" of regional tourism collaboration for the world. Leveraging the "30-minute commuting circle" and "3-hour high-speed rail circle," initiatives such as joint World Heritage application for ancient Jiangnan water towns and "All-in-one card" for cultural tourism promote regional resource sharing. During the 2025 Dragon Boat Festival holiday, short-distance trips within the Yangtze River Delta region accounted for 64% of travel, with family bookings representing 25%, highlighting the maturity of the "micro-vacation" ecosystem. The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area unlock potential in lower-tier markets through coordinated "weekend micro-vacations." Hebei's brand campaign "Spend Your Weekends in Beautiful Hebei" attracted visitors from Beijing and Tianjin who comprised 18.2% of tourists during the 2025 Spring Festival holiday. Meanwhile, destinations like Zhangjiajie, favored by Korean tourists, saw county-level tourism revenue increase 40% year-on-year.
China's appeal to global young demographics has significantly strengthened. In 2025, post-2000 generation inbound tourists accounted for over 15% of arrivals, with booking volumes up 90% compared to 2019 and spending quadrupling. Cruise tourism experienced explosive growth in the first quarter, with the "cruise + culture" model emerging as a new gateway.
On international social media, China's image as "safe, modern, and culturally rich" has taken deep root. Cities like Shanghai and Chengdu have become popular check-in destinations for foreign tourists due to their blend of tradition and modernity. American influencer "IShowSpeed" showcased China's digitized lifestyle through live streaming, with his YouTube channel surpassing 10 million views, creating a "natural narrative" communication effect.
In 2024, nearly 90% of tourism companies planned to increase investments, with cross-sector expansions by platforms like Alibaba's Fliggy and Sunac Cultural Tourism City driving digital and intelligent industry upgrades. The National Bureau of Statistics noted that China's investment potential is enormous, with emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence and high-end equipment injecting new momentum into the tourism industry.
China's tourism industry rise is not coincidental but rather the result of consumption upgrading, policy innovation, technological empowerment, cultural appeal, secure environment, and global cooperation working in concert. As UN World Tourism Organization Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili stated: "China is leading the global tourism industry's digital transformation and sustainable development."From "light tourism" to "micro-vacations," from rural revitalization to international reputation, China is constructing a new global tourism paradigm through diverse pathways, contributing "Chinese solutions" and "Chinese wisdom" to the prosperity of the world's tourism industry.This story first appeared in IRSA (International Relations Study Association).
CONTACT: Joe Concord Joeconcord@internationalrelationsstudyassociation.comSign in to access your portfolio
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