If you’ve been following travel trends this year, you might have noticed something interesting: social media feeds are filling up with foreigners riding Chinese high-speed trains, walking through ancient towns, and paying for everything with their phones—in China.

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China Focus · Jiangqin Huang Dec 10, 2025

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China’s Tourism Explodes in 2025: 100% More Visitors, and Here’s Why

China Focus · Jiangqin Huang Dec 10, 2025

China’s Tourism Explodes in 2025: 100% More Visitors, and Here’s Why

If you’ve been following travel trends this year, you might have noticed something interesting: social media feeds are filling up with foreigners riding Chinese high-speed trains, walking through ancient towns, and paying for everything with their phones—in China.

According to data from the Chinese online travel platform Ctrip, inbound tourism to China surged by over 100% in 2025 compared to last year. And it’s not just about more arrivals—spending is up sharply, with U.S. tourist expenditure growing 50% and French visitors’ spending jumping an astonishing 160%.

So what’s drawing the world to China right now? Based on observations and conversations, here are five key reasons:

1️⃣ Culture you truly can’t find anywhere else

From the Great Wall to minority festivals in Yunnan, China offers cultural depth and diversity that many travelers describe as “unlike anything I’ve seen before.” It’s not just history—it’s living traditions.

2️⃣ Infrastructure that feels like the future

It’s almost a cliché now among foreign visitors to say, “China feels like another planet.” The high-speed rail network puts many European systems to shame, city streets are strikingly clean, and going cashless with digital payments is seamless. For many, it’s their first encounter with a fully integrated digital-physical ecosystem.

3️⃣ Visa policies that finally opened the door

By mid-2025, China had granted unilateral visa-free access or mutual visa exemption to 75 countries, with transit visa waivers expanded to 55 countries. That’s a game-changer for spontaneous travel and multi-country itineraries in Asia.

4️⃣ Unbeatable value for money

Here’s a telling detail: the combined cost of a luxury hotel, a high-speed rail ticket, and a full day of eating well in China can be less than one night’s stay at a mid-range hotel in Tokyo or Paris. Travelers are realizing their budgets stretch much further here.

5️⃣ Safety & local warmth

Low crime rates and a culture of helping strangers stand out. It’s common to hear stories of Chinese locals stepping in to assist lost or confused tourists—sometimes with translation apps in hand.

Beyond the economic boost, what’s happening now might matter in less obvious ways.

For years, many people outside China knew the country mostly through headlines or manufactured narratives. Now, ordinary visitors from Europe, the Americas, Southeast Asia, and Africa are walking its streets, sharing hotpot meals, and riding maglev trains. They’re seeing—and sharing—a lived version of China that no official campaign could replicate.

Some call these tourists “walking ambassadors.” Every positive interaction chips away at old stereotypes. And when visitors point out friction points—like difficulties using certain apps or websites—that feedback can quietly help improve the experience for everyone.

This tourism wave isn’t just bringing money into China. It’s allowing the world to see the country through human eyes again. And in a time of fragmented narratives, that might be the most valuable journey of all.

What do you think—have you traveled to China recently, or are you planning to? What surprised you most?

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