Driven by the visa waiver policy, receptive tourism in China continues to gain dynamism this spring. From first-level cities to second- and third-level destinations, and from traditional tourism to immersive cultural experiences, the sector shows new and encouraging trends, CCTV reported in its April 1 edition.
According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, China recorded more than 150 million incoming international visits in 2025, which represents a year-on-year increase of more than 17%.
Among the most visited places in China is the Great Wall, one of the New 7 Wonders of the World, which is a must-see place for international tourists.
This year, between March 28 and 29, four international cruise ships docked at the port of Shanghai, with an influx of visitors that exceeded 5,900 in one day, of which more than 90% entered the country taking advantage of the visa exemption policy, according to the same source.
The footprint of international travelers is expanding beyond traditional top-level cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong and Shenzhen, to smaller destinations.
During the last Chinese New Year, domestic flight reservations by foreign tourists covered 107 cities, and places with world-class natural and cultural resources, such as Wuyi Mountain, Jinggangshan, Wanzhou and Altay, are capturing international attention.
Zhang Kexiong, spokesman for China International Travel Service (CITS), said that the Yungang Grottoes, in the northern province of Shanxi, promoted a 735% growth in incoming tourism during the Spring Festival, the highest rate in the country. Likewise, flight reservations to Hohhot Airport, in the Autonomous Region of Inner Mongolia, increased 1.8 times compared to the same period of the previous year.
Meanwhile, foreign visitors no longer only come to China to visit the tourist sites, but seek to immerse themselves in authentic cultural experiences of the Asian country. “Living like a Chinese for a day” has been a trend on social networks, with many foreigners eager to experience life in China.
The most popular activities include traveling by high-speed train, seeing drone exhibits, and trying traditional Chinese medicine massages. Wearing traditional Hanfu outfits and eating “hotpot”, or “hot pot”, have also become “essential” experiences for many international visitors.
At the Tang Music Palace, in Xi’an, capital of Shaanxi province, the Tang-style show attracts between 600 and 700 foreign tourists every night, who enjoy the gastronomy, the performance and the experience of making Chinese ravioli.
In Lijiang, a city in the southwestern province of Yunnan, travelers learn the traditional art of making copper utensils of the Naxi ethnic group. In Jingdezhen, known as the “capital of porcelain” of China, they try the molding and baking of blue and white porcelain ceramics, and in Fujian, they adorn themselves with flowers in their hair and learn stone carving, immersing themselves in the local culture.
China has established mutual visa waiver agreements with 29 countries and unilaterally offers visa-free entry to nationals of 48 countries. The total number of ports of entry covered by the 240-hour visa-free transit policy currently amounts to 65, which considerably speeds up the travel of international visitors, according to the National Immigration Administration.