group tourism china

• China Tours
• Group Tours

China Group Tours 2024/2025

With stunning ancient architecture, marvelous cities ranging from Beijing to Shanghai, and one-of-a-kind festivals such as the Dragon Boat Festival and Chinese New Year, China should be on every traveler’s bucket list. China group tours are a great option for curious travelers who want the whole China package without the hassle or to meet like-minded people. Discover the culture and traditions of China in complete safety and with the guidance of experienced tour leaders—. simply enjoy your trip. Go on a street-food adventure and challenge your friends to try the most bizarre delicacies this country has to offer, visit breathtaking sites such as Jokhang and Lingyin temples, and celebrate all night long on Chinese New Year's Eve. Opt for small group tours of China if you prefer to maintain a family vibe through your trip, or choose bigger groups if you want to meet as many people as possible. No matter what, after a group tour of China, you will go back home with a renewed appreciation for life. Check out our group tours to China below.

• Tours in China
• China Travel Guide
• Things to Do in China

105 Group Tours in China with 300 Reviews

• Starts Shanghai, China
• Ends Beijing, China

China Highlights

• Best price guaranteed
• No booking fees
• Tour Type Small Group Tour
• Activities Cultural, religious and historic sites & Walking tours Cultural, religious and historic sites , Walking tours , Art and architecture , Countryside and village visits & City sightseeing 'data-more-tripid='3085'>+3 more
• Accommodation Hotel & Guest House
• Transport Train, Bus, Private Vehicle & Bullet Train
• Age Range 15-99 yrs
• Operated in English
• Brochure Price: US$ 1,665
• Special Deal (15%): - US$ 250
• Total Price from: US$ 1,415
• May 11 Only 3 seats left
• May 19 Only 5 seats left
• View More Jan 1, 2019 Jan 2, 2019 Jan 3, 2019

• Starts Beijing, China
• Ends Shanghai, China

Imperial China & Yangtze River Cruise

• Activities Cultural, religious and historic sites & Natural landmarks sightseeing
• Accommodation Hotel & Ship Cabin
• Transport Boat, Train, Private Vehicle, Bullet Train, Flight, Cruise Ship, Taxi & Minibus
• Age Range 16-95 yrs
• Brochure Price: US$ 5,398
• Special Deal (13%): - US$ 718
• Total Price from: US$ 4,680
• Jul 24 Only 8 seats left
• Oct 23 Only 8 seats left

China Tour: Beijing, Xian & Shanghai - No Shopping Stops

• Free cancellation
• Trip customizable
• Activities Cultural, religious and historic sites & Museum and gallery visits Cultural, religious and historic sites , Museum and gallery visits & City sightseeing 'data-more-tripid='15234'>+1 more
• Accommodation Hotel
• Transport Flight, Rickshaw & Private Vehicle
• Age Range 1-99 yrs

China Express

• Activities Cultural, religious and historic sites & Art and architecture Cultural, religious and historic sites , Art and architecture , Culture shows and excursions & City sightseeing 'data-more-tripid='4405'>+2 more
• Transport Train, Private Vehicle, Bus & Bullet Train
• Age Range 12-95 yrs
• Brochure Price: US$ 1,499
• Special Deal (10%): - US$ 150
• Total Price from: US$ 1,349
• May 17 Only 1 seat left
• May 31 Only 2 seats left

Historic China Tour - Small Group

• Activities Cultural, religious and historic sites & Museum and gallery visits Cultural, religious and historic sites , Museum and gallery visits & City sightseeing 'data-more-tripid='15238'>+1 more
• Transport Private Vehicle, Flight & Rickshaw
• Age Range 1-79 yrs

Walking the Great Wall

• Activities Trekking and Hiking & Cultural, religious and historic sites Trekking and Hiking , Cultural, religious and historic sites & Adventure 'data-more-tripid='7832'>+1 more
• Brochure Price: US$ 1,948
• Special Deal (5%): - US$ 88
• Total Price from: US$ 1,860
• May 25 Only 2 seats left
• Sep 21 Only 8 seats left

North China Getaway

• Activities Cultural, religious and historic sites & Art and architecture Cultural, religious and historic sites , Art and architecture , Walking tours , Natural landmarks sightseeing & City sightseeing 'data-more-tripid='3080'>+3 more
• Accommodation Hotel, Sleeper Train, Guest House & Hostel
• Transport Train, Bus, Private Vehicle & Sleeper Train
• Brochure Price: US$ 1,295
• Special Deal (15%): - US$ 194
• Total Price from: US$ 1,101
• May 08 Only 2 seats left
• May 15 Only 9 seats left

Trending Destinations in China

Classic China Tour with Yangtze Cruise - Small Group

• Activities Cultural, religious and historic sites & Museum and gallery visits Cultural, religious and historic sites , Museum and gallery visits & City sightseeing 'data-more-tripid='15249'>+1 more
• Transport Train, Flight, Private Vehicle & Cruise Ship

Best of China Small Group Tour: 11 Days

• Tour Type Group Tour
• Activities Natural landmarks sightseeing & Sightseeing Tours Natural landmarks sightseeing , Sightseeing Tours , Cultural, religious and historic sites , Classes and workshops & River cruise 'data-more-tripid='24225'>+3 more
• Transport Train, Flight & Private Vehicle
• Age Range 1-70 yrs

Yin and Yangtze - 15 days

• Activities Cultural, religious and historic sites & Art and architecture Cultural, religious and historic sites , Art and architecture , Wildlife , Natural landmarks sightseeing & Safari 'data-more-tripid='16144'>+3 more
• Transport Train, Boat & Flight
• Age Range 18-80 yrs
• Brochure Price: US$ 4,575
• Special Deal (25%): - US$ 1,144
• Total Price from: US$ 3,431
• Jun 08 Only 8 seats left
• Jul 06 Only 8 seats left

Explore China

• Activities Cultural, religious and historic sites & Local culture Cultural, religious and historic sites , Local culture , Countryside and village visits & Art and architecture 'data-more-tripid='3079'>+2 more
• Transport Train, Private Vehicle, Bus, Flight, Bullet Train & Taxi
• Brochure Price: US$ 3,365
• Special Deal (10%): - US$ 337
• Total Price from: US$ 3,028
• May 12 Only 3 seats left
• May 19 Only 4 seats left

• Starts Lhasa, China
• Ends Lhasa, China

Mount Everest Base Camp from Lhasa: 8-Day Group Tour

• Activities Natural landmarks sightseeing & Cultural, religious and historic sites
• Accommodation Hotel, Camping & Guest House
• Transport Bus & Train
• Age Range 5-70 yrs

• Ends Xian, China

China Express - 8 days

• Activities Cultural, religious and historic sites & Art and architecture
• Transport Train
• Brochure Price: US$ 2,295
• Special Deal (50%): - US$ 1,148
• Total Price from: US$ 1,147
• May 25 Only 8 seats left

Fine China - 13 days

• Activities City sightseeing & Cultural, religious and historic sites City sightseeing , Cultural, religious and historic sites , Art and architecture & Natural landmarks sightseeing 'data-more-tripid='15931'>+2 more
• Transport Flight & Train
• Brochure Price: US$ 3,985
• Special Deal (25%): - US$ 996
• Total Price from: US$ 2,989

Traveling to China? Chat with a local travel specialist in China who can help organize your trip.

China Tour Reviews

• Barnett Hansen
• China trips
• China budget tours
• Eco tours in China
• China guided tours
• China family tour packages
• China private tours
• China small group tours
• China solo trips
• China tailor-made vacation packages
• China tours for senior citizens
• China tours for young adults
• China last minute deals
• China travel deals

Popular Destinations

• Beijing Tours
• Shanghai Tours

Popular Activities

• City sightseeing tours
• Cultural, religious and historic sites tours
• Natural landmarks sightseeing tours

Upcoming Departures

• Spring 2024/2025
• Summer 2024/2025
• Winter 2024/2025
• August 2024
• September 2024
• October 2024
• November 2024
• December 2024
• January 2025
• February 2025
• August 2025
• September 2025
• October 2025

Best price guaranteed - No booking fees

Free cancellation on most trips

Sign-in to unlock instant trip discounts. Create wish lists and save up to USD 1,500.

China Group Tours | China Small Group Tours 2024

Travel around China in Small Groups at the Lowest Prices in 2024!

China Group Tours ON SALE in 2024:

Are you searching for an incredible China travel experience at a discounted price? Look no further! Asia Odyssey Travel is excited to announce a BIG SALE where our dedicated team has allocated the best travel resources to offer a 30% discount on the same group tour . Don't miss out on this opportunity to save while enjoying an unforgettable vacation through China.

Now is the perfect time to plan your long-anticipated vacation to China ! Traveling in a small group with like-minded fellow travelers is not only safe but also interesting and cost-effective. Each of our China group tour packages is well-designed to provide you with a delightful combination of iconic attractions and authentic local experiences. From exploring the imperial palaces and magnificent Great Wall in the ancient citadel of Beijing to visiting the Hometown of Giant Pandas , our China group tours offer the same level of classic exploration as our private packages. You are free to choose from our selection of 6 best group tours, which take you to the most popular destinations, or opt for our top recommended group packages for a unique touring experience. We also offer single-destination group adventures for shorter trips. It's your way to travel!

Our China Group Tour Features:

"Excellent Tour, best experience"

"A unique experience despite a difficult context thanks

to an experience team of organisers"

• 3 Best Group Tours
• China Group Tours from Beijing
• Tibet Group Tours
• Experiences

3 Best China Group Tour Packages in 2024

Recommended China Group Tours from Beijing at Knockdown Prices

Take China Group Tours from Shanghai/Chengdu

Recommended Tibet Group Tours 2024

Why Makes Us Different? Why Travel in Group with Us?

What to Expect a Group Tour with Asia Odyssey Travel

Knowledgeable Local Guides

Comfortable & Air-conditioned Vehicle

Well-selected 3-star Hotels

Authentic Local Flavors

China Group Tour FAQs - Plan Your Group Travel Worry-free

A group tour means you will travel with a group of 2-12 travelers . If you are solo traveler, you need to share a room with a partner. And you will take a coach to the attractions, have lunch together at a round table. You can make friends and share ideas on the way. The prices are cheap.

A private tour is totally based on your personal likes and needs. You have your personal English-speaking guides and drivers, and the whole tour is very flexible. Hotels and meals are chosen according to your wish. The prices are higher than a group tour.

First, decide which group tour to take and then select your travel dates and click “join-in a tour”. You will get free enquiry and don’t need to pay immediately.

After sending us your requirements, one of our professional travel experts will get back to you within 0.5 to 24 hours and we guarantee to reserve a place for you first. When all the information have confirmed, then you make the payment. Please feel free to contact the travel expert directly if you have any questions prior to booking.

Book a group tour with Asia Odyssey Travel and the tour includes sightseeing and entrance fee in each destination, accommodation, meals (breakfast and lunch), transportation (transfers within a city and transport between cities), local guides and drivers... You can take a look at one group tour and check details.

Travelers from all over the world and from all walk of life will join our China group tour. Based on our statistics in past years, the average age of the group travelers is middle-aged and senior travelers and 40% are young people. You will meet like-minded travelers on your group tour and can make friends during the journey.

You may start your full day sightseeing at around 09:00 and ends at about 18:00 .

Timing may change slightly according to the season and activities. The local guides will pick you up at your hotels and escort you back.

Usually, breakfast and lunch are included in the tour . Breakfast are buffet and you can select your likes. And lunch are Chinese dishes served at round table, ordered by the tour guide. All you will need to do is let your travel expert know your dietary requirements and update your details at the time of booking. The travel experts will tell the tour guides in each destination and make the arrangement for you. While you’re travelling, the local guide will almost always double check for any dietary requirements verbally with the group before each meal.

Latest China Group Tours Reviews from Our Customers

Destination(s): Beijing, Xian, Shanghai

Date of Experience: Jan 24, 2024

Tour Customized by: Shirley

You May be Interested in This Tour: 8 Days Beijing Xian Shanghai Small Group Tour

Very good experience since 1st contact with agency, supported with great attention and helpful response by Rex until the last tour in Shanghai. All the city tours were conducted by well informed guides with fluent english.

In Beijing guided by Maggie Pan manage all tours with smart way and great attention. Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Heaven Temple, Summer Palace and Olympics games places. In Xi’an guided by Timo with great explanation and flexibility. Visited Muslim, Terracotta, Pagoda and Ancient Wall. In Guilin and Yangshuo guided by Chanel with very friendly and kindly way. Visitng Reed Flute Cave, Elephant Trunck Hill and Li River Cruise. In Shanghai guided by Qián with great attention and explanation and giving us time for shopping. Hotels selected were very good and confortable with delicious breakfast. Holiday Inn Express and Lisa’s Hotel (in Yangshuo).

Restaurants were local style with reasonable cost. As the price focus is in low cost travel pack with nices places to visit, consider also to wakeup early for fligths and trains. Suggestion for Improvement to Travel Agency: more detailed timing schedule.

Destination(s): Beijing, Xian, Shanghai, Guilin/Yangshuo

Date of Experience: Nov 17, 2023

Tour Customized by: Rex

You May be Interested in This Tour: 10 Days Beijing Xian Guilin Shanghai Small Group Tour

As a solo traveler seeking to connect with fellow partners, I opted for the cost-effective option of a group tour. After thorough online research, I discovered Asia Odyssey Travel's China Group Tour. The "13 Days Relaxing China Tour with Yangtze Cruise in Small Group" caught my attention. Joining this tour proved to be an incredible experience. From the awe-inspiring historical sites in Beijing and Xian to the captivating landscapes of Guilin, every moment left a lasting impression. The serenity of the Yangtze Cruise enhanced the overall relaxation on this small group tour. Wrapping up the journey in vibrant Shanghai was the perfect ending. I wholeheartedly recommend it to others!

Destination(s): Beijing, Xian, Shanghai, Guilin/Yangshuo, YangtzeRiver, Chongqing

Date of Experience: Sep 02, 2023

Tour Customized by: Isaac

You May be Interested in This Tour: 13 Days Relaxing China Tour with Yangtze Cruise in Small Group

China Small Group and Private Tailor-made Tours

Endorsed by New York Times

• Receive 70,000+ Guests Every Year
• No Shopping Promise

China Small Group Tours 2024/2025

Best private china tours, more china private tour categories, china theme tours, escorted china tours with international airfare.

• China Tours from the United States
• China Tours from Australia
• China Tours from Canada
• China Tours from the United Kingdom
• From Singapore
• From New Zealand

Top 10 Must-see Destinations

• Zhangjiajie

Top 10 Things to Do in China

• Forbidden City
• Terracotta Warriors
• Yangtze River
• Potala Palace
• The Bund Shanghai
• Mt. Huangshan
• Summer Palace
• Giant Pandas

China Weather by Month

Trip planning faqs.

• How to Apply
• 144-hour Visa Free
• 72-hour Visa Free
• Tourist Visa

What to see in China for first time travelers?

For a second time traveler, what are the recommended destinations, when planning a china tour for seniors, should i choose private tours or small group packages, what is the best time to travel to china, how much would a trip to china cost, tourism news.

Forbidden City's Bureaucrat Hinders Post-Pandemic Tourism Boom

The New York Times Travel Supplement has named our company as being in their opinion a large and reliable Chinese travel agency. Details ...

• Tailor My Trip

• WildChina’s Travelogue
• The China Travel Podcast
• Search All Journeys
• Expert-led Journeys

Small Group Tours

• Mainland China
• Day Experiences
• Global Departures
• Beshan Website
• Education Programs
• Corporate Services
• Cultural Projects and Spaces
• How to Enter China in 2023
• WildChina Restaurant Guides
• A Guide to China’s Trains
• Travel Updates
• Booking Conditions
• Health and Safety
• Traveling to Tibet FAQ
• How Wild is WildChina?
• Award Winning Services
• Recognitions
• Our Leadership
• Our Designers
• Our Experts
• Work with Us
• Our Sustainability Position
• Plan your journey

For all the social butterflies out there...

Here are a few small group tours we’ve designed just for you! This is your chance to travel WildChina style with a  small group of like-minded travelers, experiencing a side of China that few have the privilege to see.

Chinese Treasures

Pandas and Warriors: Family Fun through China

Keep me updated.

Stay up to date with the latest news direct to your inbox.

We’re on hand to help you get the information you need about travel in China, whenever you need it. We’re not robots; we’re real people, travel designers here to help you.

As COVID-19 restrictions and regulations change, we want to make sure that you can travel in a safe and responsible way. Let us know your China travel questions and, within one business day, we’ll personally get in touch via email, phone call, or WeChat (whichever method you’d prefer) to help you answer it.

Beijing Address:

803 Oriental Place, 9 East Dongfang Rd, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100027

Shanghai Address:

A12, 3rd Floor, SIP, No. 1318, North Sichuan Road, Hongkou District, Shanghai

Chengdu Address:

26th Floor, No. 1-2 Hangkong Road, Wuhou District, Chengdu, Sichuan

Yangshuo Address:

No. 26 Furong Road, Yangshuo, Guangxi

+86 10 6465 6602

+1 888 902 8808 (Toll Free)

[email protected]

TTC family of brands

My Trafalgar

Destinations

Get Inspired

866 513 1995

See All China Tours

See More China Trips

5 million happy guests and counting

Chinese yuan

Capital City

Mandarin, Cantonese, Shanghainese

Good morning

Zǎoshang hǎo

Good evening

Wǎnshàng hǎo

"With one of the world's oldest civilisations, China is unlike anywhere else in the world. I love introducing our guests to China's ancient traditions and a wonderfully unique culture."

Travel Director

Journey to the Forbidden City

Take a trip back in time to the Ming dynasty era with a visit to Beijing's Forbidden City. True to its name, this city was once reserved for elite imperial families but is now a complex of palace museums open for all to enjoy. Peel back layers of the country's religious culture at the Taoist and Buddhist shrines.

Bound for the iconic Great Wall of China

Luscious green valleys sprawl either side of China's 21,000-kilometre Great Wall. Take in its enormity and admire the green valleys that sprawl across both sides. With nearly 3,000 years of history held within some of its stones, a visit to this UNESCO World Heritage Site will connect you with a time long forgotten.

Watch the Legend of Kung Fu Show

With a mythical history and graceful moves seeped in self-defence, Kung Fu is a fighting form that is widely appreciated. Take a trip to Beijing's Red Theatre to peel back the layers of Kung Fu through dance, acrobatics and choreography that will dazzle before your very eyes.

Journey through Zhujiajiao Water Town

Asia's answer to Venice, visit Zhujiajiao Water Town to soak up the serenity of a Chinese village with endless charm. Gondolas and terrace homes drip in red lanterns and arched bridges connect various portions of the town that floats. Spend time on land to see Zhujiajiao's ancient rice shops, spice stores and the Qing dynasty post office.

Enjoy a relaxing foot massage at the Foot Reflexology Centre

A heartland of alternative medicine, China boasts many health practises that have gained attention and following across the world. Sign up for a relaxing session of foot reflexology to unwind from long days exploring and to feel altered 'qi' life force energy within.

Our top 5 things to do in China

Tap into the legend of Kung Fu, admire 3,000 years of history in the Great Wall and unwind with a session of foot reflexology. These are just some of the things we'll do while uncovering the many layers of diversity in China.

Temple of Heaven

Step back to the Imperial era at China's Temple of Heaven. Enter the Prayer for Good Harvests to admire the circular building's marble floor and elaborate roof, before spending time in the expansive manicured gardens. Here you walk in the footsteps of many Chinese emperors.

Great Mosque of Xi'an

Admire the 20 buildings and five courtyards of Xi'an, China's largest mosque. Spending some of its mid-years operating as a steel factory before being declared a protected cultural site, the Great Mosque of Xi'an is a symbol of China's cultural and political evolution.

National Museum of China

Attracting nearly 9-million visitors every year, the National Museum of China is an ode to the country's deeply ingrained arts and history. Gaze upon intricate porcelain from the Qing Dynasty and be amazed by the world's most significant piece of bronze work, Simuwu Ding. The many layers of China can be peeled back within the walls of this museum.

Best museums in China

Distant dynasties and ethereal religious monuments draw millions of visitors from around the globe. Here are just a few of the museums that are part of our China travel packages.

World-famous Chinese dumplings are even more delicious when consumed in their country of origin. Try these little pockets of steamed dough stuffed with various fillings of shrimp, pork and herbs with numerous condiments to compliment.

Peking Duck

Taste the Imperial era in slices of seasoned crispy skin duck. Best wrapped in thin pancakes with hoisin sauce and greens, this Chinese specialty is delicious whether consumed in a busy street market or upmarket restaurant.

Shanghai Hairy Crab

A seasonal delicacy found in the city of Shanghai, hairy crab is a must-try when on a China vacation. Find it unexpectedly in vending machines, or indulge in the sea creature freshly steamed at a restaurant with a sugary rice vinegar sauce for dipping.

Best food in China

No matter how many encounters you've had with Chinese food, nothing can compare to the authenticity of eating it in China. From dumplings to duck, we'll share the very best that's on offer.

What to pack for China

An open mind

Steeped in tradition and running on a clockwork of formal customs, China often commands patience and an open mind from its visitors. In no time at all, it will be these different systems that you love most about the country.

Antibacterial wipes

Though China group tours with us will see you avoiding most messy situations, it's still handy to keep antibacterial wipes on standby for just in case. Nothing feels more hygienic than a quick freshen up before mealtime.

A film camera

China is a photographer's dream. Capture these ancient lands with creative depth by taking along a film camera. There's something special about the Great Wall and ancient temples through a film style lens.

Though China is working hard to reduce its smog, some days often see the big cities enveloped in dense haze. Pack a mask, so it doesn't interfere with your plans to explore.

Extra bag space

China offers one of the world's most celebrated shopping holidays. Here, a sea of clothes, gadgets and accessories are sold off for a fraction of their price in other parts of the world. Allow space for your many inevitable purchases.

Our Asia destinations

Other worldwide regions we visit

Africa the Middle East

Australia and New Zealand

North and Central America

South America

Get your free brochure

Find your next escape with the world's leading travel brand

Request A Brochure

Award winning tours

Every year, we're proud to win some of the most prestigious travel accolades around the world - from the Travel Globes to the Agent's Choice Awards

Search Our Tours

Help & Info

WE MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®

Unedited Reviews

Our Destination Management Companies

Frequently Asked Questions

Travel Updates

Media & Press Room

Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

Travel Planning

Get Your Free Brochure

Travel Insurance

Booking Conditions

Trip Deposit Level

Recommendations

Trafalgar Tours Limited is a proud member of  The Travel Corporation  family of companies.

#SimplyTrafalgar

Travel House, Rue du Manoir St Peter Port, Guernsey, GY1 2JH

Selected Region

United States

United Kingdom

New Zealand

South Africa

Copyright 2024 Trafalgar. All rights reserved.

Terms and Conditions

Privacy Policy

Cookie Policy

APRIL SALE:   Book now and get   up to 60% off!

Fully Guided Tours & Trips in China

Find the right fully guided tour for you in China. There are 291 trips to choose from, that range from 2 days in length, up to 35 days. The month with the most departures is October, making it the most popular time to visit China.

250+ Fully Guided tour packages in China with 376 reviews

• In-depth Cultural
• Christmas & New Year

China Express

I loved the tour - it's a very quick trip through China's main tourist attractions and there really isn't time for rest but that was perfect given the limited time I had. There was a problem with one member of the group who didn't speak English and had fairly severe medical issues - which would have been fine if it didn't impact the rest of the group - but they did, and I don't believe he should ever have been let on the trip. G Adventures should at least be asking people if they have a decent grasp of English and are medically fit for the trip. Otherwise it was great - had a brilliant time, and if you want to see China in a limited amount of time then this is a great way to do it.

8-Day Small Group China Tour to Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai

As a couple surprised by an fantastic individual tour by three very articulate guides and proficient drivers around Beijing, Xian and Shanghai. Learnt not only about history but culture and language today. Felt very safe even when venturing out alone around cities without guides. Our only issue was we could not get internet to connect but that is going to be more us being technophobic. However so supported by guides that not required.

• 10% deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

11-Day Small Group China Tour to Beijing, Xi'an, Guilin and Shanghai

It was an excellent tour for the price. Everything was very well organized and the guides were terrific. It was all as advertised and more. My only complaint was that some of the museum visits were far too brief. Giving only one hour for a major museum covering thousands of years of history and culture was just not adequate.

China Delights Small Group Tour

This is a great tour that packs a lot in. Time flies as you see so much although you won't spend long at many of the sites. My favourite bits of the itinerary were: - The Great Wall at Mutianyu (Beijing) we took the chair lift option which meant we could ride the toboggan back down. - Terracotta Warriors (Xian) half day - Li River Cruise (Guilin) - Huangpu River Cruise (Shanghai) which luckily turned into an evening cruise as we couldn't get on the earlier one. Those are the highlights but there are so many other things such as the Tang Dynasty Dancing and Dumpling Dinner and Summer Palace in Beijng and Reed Flute Caves in Guilin. In particular Guilin so picturesque and Shanghai so modern. We were lucky with our first two guides, Tina (Beijing) and Celine (Xian) who were both excellent. Autumn in Guilin and Mindy in Shanghai were good too. Autumn stayed with us to help us find and order food in the evenings so a couple of long shifts for her. Celine helped arrange a birthday cake for one of our younger travellers. Included meals were excellent. Full banquets usually in local restaurants but we really enjoyed the home cooked lunch as well. Food was plentyful. We even enjoyed the set meal box on the cruise. Hotels were generally of a good standard. Check-in at The Great Wall Hotel in Beijing was really slow though and trying to find a table for breakfast was difficult and located a fair distance away from where the restaurants are (need to get the subway to reach them) The hotel in Guilin was the worst one, the rooms being some distance away from the lift and lobby and small bathrooms. The hotel in Shanghai was excellent. It was nice touch that we got framed photo souvenirs of our trip from Beijing although I think both myself and my sister should have received one each as we paid for single supplements. Some feedback I'd give would be that they need to let us know about the optional night tours that are available on the website/ itinerary before we come out so that we can budget properly. There was a night visit for the Big Goose Pagoda in Xian with the musical fountain light show which we would have liked to have gone to didn't go to due to the weather. We found that the night cruise in Guilin was expensive as the premium we paid for the guide to buy the tickets and come onboard with us was excessive. We could have just walked to the ticket office and bought the tickets ourselves. The night tour of Shanghai was just as expensive but at least that included a coach to drive us around as well as the guide. Having said that, we could have used the subway and got around ourselves and because it started so late, we didn't see much. It is worth going up Jin Mao Tower. Overall, we had a great time on this trip and would recommend Travel China Guide.

• Book With Flexibility This operator allows you to rebook your dates or tours with them for free, waiving change fees.

• Sightseeing

The Essence of Guilin

Excellent tour! Very well organised, includes everything that is necessary and I felt treated like a VIP guest all the time! My guide - Yunhua - bent over and backwards to make my trip unforgettable and he also arranged with great efficiency all the extra activities I was asking for (last minute)

• Train & Rail

China Highlights (5 destinations)

Great Wall & Warriors - 10 days

What an amazing experience from start to finish! Matthew was incredible, and after a few days with him we went on to the next part of the trip where we met Andrew, we were worried Andrew woudl not be as welcoming and professional and friendly as Mathew - but he was as confident, well versed and delightful. Next came Faye who was also as good. Matthew stayed with us from the beginning to the end. What a respectful and kind charector - we were a roudy bunch and he handled us all so well. He went the extra mile on several ocassions - someone left and I pad at a venue, another left clothes at the last hotel - he went out of his way to make sure all items got back to their owners. The food was never ending -I am sure we recieved more than we bargained for! at one point we couldn't make a part of one of the excursions due to weather - Matthew refunded this part of the trip! this was most unexpected. well done ! best trip ever - I'll be looking for the next On The Go trip

China Express - 8 days

Leo was brilliant with the right balance of history, geography and social skills

Great itinerary and travel between all the destinations was well managed and pain free. The accommodation was a lower standard as this is a lower budget tour but all of the locations allowed for easy access to the local attractions. All of the hotels/hostels were clean and air conditioned, we were more interested in the sights anyway! Our guide was the best and balanced knowledge with ensuring the group had fun, she was happy to change plans and arrange alternatives if any or all of the group wished to do different things. A really great group of people added up to a fantastic, memorable trip that I would happily recommend to anyone wanting the 'Real China' trip.

Hong Kong to Chengdu Express: 9-Day Chinese Journey

Wished I could have done the whole tour - loved that it was so flexible

• 5% deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

• Food & Culinary

Chinese Cuisine & Culture

I saw a lot and the chosen destinations were very interesting. The organization was also great. Everything went smoothly and on time. All the tour guides were extremely friendly, well informed and very keen to fulfill all wishes. The hotels were clean and well maintained. The hotels were centrally located for exploring on your own. I felt very well looked after, learned a lot about China and can only recommend this trip.

Best of China Small Group Tour

Great Wall to Great Cities: Beijing to Shanghai China Journey

I took their Beijing tour back a few years ago and loved it!! I still can't believe I saw so much of China in just 3 weeks! The hostels were actually really nice, and the experiences were incredible. Guides were all super friendly and had fun recommendations. When meals weren't provided, we'd get a group dinner together which was super fun. At times I was the most exhausted I've ever been, but the guides were super motivated and kept the energy up. I know people who have gone on more expensive tours of China and didn't get to do the cool stuff we did like camping on the great wall of china or training with shaolin warriors.

11 Days China Natural Wonders Small Group

Spiritual and Modern China

What people love about fully guided tours in china.

Great fun packed itinerary and wonderful leading by the guide Howard from Xian. Amazing, just go.

This tour is the greatest China esperience! All guides go above and beyond to immerse you in the ancient China history, local culture, natural wonders. Absolutely professional and courteous service, best accomodations, balanced time and activities for perfect vacation. Special thanks to TravelChinaGuide agent Emily - helping all the way in planning the tour. Highly recommended tour and TravelChinaGuide team, especially for the first-time visitors to China.

Regions in China

• Southern China (64)
• Western China (55)
• Sichuan (8)
• Guangxi (8)
• Xinjiang (6)
• Northern China (5)

Travel Styles

• Fully Guided
• China Travel Guide | All You Need to Know

Nature Technology Culture Lifestyle

Embrace Nature   Enjoy Life

High Standard, Multi-Level

"High standard and multi-level leisure tourism products are capable of meeting diverse and individual needs"

CTG's development team will consolidate the four resources: policy, resource, capital and intelligence, into a whole in consideration of social,environment and economic benefit. What is more, it also focuses on local and developers’ benefit to turn resource advantage into economic benefit, and adheres to an enterprise strategy of resource difference operation.    Learn More >>

Intelligent Human-machine Interaction

"The world's first AI-based interaction platform is creating a new era of personalized and customized tourism"

With the top 500 enterprises background and rich experience, our technical team creatively integrated cutting-edge technologies, thus successfully created the first "Smart Cloud Robot" and the Smart Travel Platform. The platform aims to offer intelligent, tailor-made and real-time travel information, reservation and many other value-added services to world leisure travelers.   Learn More >>

Extraordinary Accommodation Experience

"Boutique Hotels with Chinese culture and regional characteristics bring you extraordinary accommodation experience."

The “Chinese Culture Boutique Hotel” series designed by China Tourism Group brings you high-quality tourism experience, basing on tourism destinations, highlighting local and national cultural styles, and focusing on the aesthetic experience of tourists. The hotels adopt traditional Chinese symbols embodying Chinese nation's brilliant and gorgeous classical culture.   Learn More >>

Embrace Nature

"Green, natural, primitive farming life"

People in modern cities always dream of owning their own paradise to escape from urban hustle and bustle. Each eco-farm developed by China Tourism Group has a personality of its own, a refuge of rural charm, with blue sky, white cloud, green fertile ground and free creatures.   Learn More >>

Culture Collection

"Rich and classic cultural gifts show profound culture and strong region color"

Arch Design

Our gift designing team, composed of famous culture masters, skilled craft technicians, and experienced marketing professionals, make every efforts in digging out the "cultural values" inside the gift to satisfy the demanding needs of our target customers. Rustic and refined, sophisticated and elegant, rich culture and history, our designed gifts are also valuable cultural collections.   Learn More >>

Outlook for China tourism 2023: Light at the end of the tunnel

China is now removing travel restrictions rapidly, both domestically and internationally. While the sudden opening may lead to uncertainty and hesitancy to travel in the short term, Chinese tourists still express a strong desire to travel. And the recent removal of quarantine requirements in January 2023 could usher in a renewed demand for trips abroad.

Domestically, there are already signs of strong travel recovery. The recent Chinese New Year holidays saw 308 million domestic trips, generating almost RMB 376 billion in tourism revenue. 1 China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism. This upswing indicates that domestic travel volume has recovered to 90 percent of 2019 figures, and spending has bounced back to around 70 percent of pre-pandemic levels. 2 McKinsey analysis based on China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism data.

This article paints a picture of Chinese travelers and their evolving spending behaviors and preferences—and suggests measures that tourism service providers and destinations could take to prepare for their imminent return. The analyses draw on the findings of McKinsey’s latest Survey of Chinese Tourist Attitudes, and compare the results across six waves of surveys conducted between April 2020 and November 2022, along with consumer sentiment research and recent travel data.

From pandemic to endemic

By January 8, 2023, cross-city travel restrictions, border closures, and quarantine requirements on international arrivals to China had been lifted. 3 “Graphics: China’s 20 new measures for optimizing COVID-19 response,” CGTN, November 15, 2022; “COVID-19 response further optimized with 10 new measures,” China Services Info, December 8, 2022; “China reopens borders in final farewell to zero-COVID,” Reuters, January 8, 2023. This rapid removal of domestic travel restrictions, and an increase in COVID-19 infection rates, likely knocked travel confidence for cross-city and within-city trips. Right after the first easing of measures, in-city transport saw a marked drop as people stayed home—either because they were ill, or to avoid exposure. Subway traffic in ten major cities in mainland China fell and then spiked during Chinese New Year in February. Hotel room bookings also peaked at this time.

Domestic airline seat capacity experienced a minor rebound as each set of restrictions was lifted—suggesting a rise in demand as airlines scheduled more flights. Domestic capacity fluctuated, possibly due to the accelerated COVID-19 infection rate and a temporary labor shortage. International seat capacity, however, continued to climb (Exhibit 1).

By Chinese new year, China was past its infection peak—and domestic tourism recovered strongly. For instance, Hainan drew 6.4 million visitors over Chinese New Year (up from 5.8 million in 2019) and visits to Shanghai reached 10 million (roughly double 2019 holiday figures). 4 China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Overall, revenue per available room (RevPAR) during this period recovered and surpassed pre-pandemic levels, at 120 percent of 2019 figures. 5 STR data. Outbound trips are still limited, but given the pent-up demand for international travel (and the upswing in domestic tourism) the tourism industry may need to prepare to welcome back Chinese tourists.

Tourism players should be ready for this; the time to act is now.

A demand boom is around the corner—Chinese tourists are returning soon

Before the pandemic, Chinese tourists were eager travelers. Mainland China had the largest outbound travel market in the world, both in number of trips and total spend. 6 World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Tourism dashboard, Outbound tourism ranking. In 2019, Mainland Chinese tourists took 155 million outbound trips, totaling $255 billion in travel spending. 7 China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism. These figures indicate total outbound trips, including to Hong Kong and Macau. China is also an important source market for some major destinations. For instance, Chinese travelers made up 28 percent of inbound tourism in Thailand, 30 percent in Japan, and 16 percent of non-EU visitors to Germany. 8 United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) database.

Leisure travel was the biggest driver of China’s outbound travel, representing 65 percent of travelers in 2019. In the same year, 29 percent of travelers ventured out for business, and 6 percent journeyed to visit friends and relatives. 9 Euromonitor International database.

Our most recent Survey of Chinese Tourist Attitudes, conducted in November 2022, shows that Chinese tourists have retained their keen desire to explore international destinations. About 40 percent of respondents reported that they expect to undertake outbound travel for their next leisure trip.

Where do these travelers want to go?

The results also indicate that the top three overseas travel destinations (beyond Hong Kong and Macau) are Australia/New Zealand, Southeast Asia, and Japan. Overall, respondents show less interest in travel to Europe than in previous years, down from 7 percent to 4 percent compared to wave 5 respondents. Desire to embark on long-haul international trips to Australia/New Zealand increased from 5 percent to 7 percent, and North American trips from 3 percent to 4 percent since the last survey. The wealthier segment (monthly household income over RMB 38,000) still shows a high interest in EU destinations (13 percent).

There are stumbling blocks on the road to recovery

While travel sentiment is strong, other factors may deter travelers from taking to the skies: fear of COVID-19; the need for COVID-19 testing which can be expensive; ticket prices; risk appetite of destination countries; and getting a passport or visa.

Chinese travelers may favor domestic trips, even if all outbound travel restrictions are removed, until they feel it is safe to travel internationally. A COVID-19-safe environment in destination countries will likely boost travelers’ confidence and encourage them to book trips again. 10 “Long-haul travel barometer,” European Travel Commission, February 1, 2023.

Travel recovery is also dependent on airline capacity. Some international airlines might be slow to restore capacity as fleets were retired during COVID-19 and airlines face a shortage of crew, particularly pilots. Considering that at the time of writing, in April 2023, international airline seat capacity has only recovered to around 37 percent of pre-pandemic levels, travelers are likely to face elevated ticket prices in the coming months. For instance, ticket prices for travel in the upcoming holidays to popular overseas destinations such as Japan and Thailand are double what they were in 2019. 11 Based on Ctrip prices. Price-sensitive travelers might wait for ticket prices to level out before booking their overseas trips.

Chinese airlines, however, appear more ready to resume full service than their international counterparts —fewer pilots left the industry and aircraft are available. Chinese carriers’ widebody fleets are mostly in service or ready to be redeployed (Exhibit 2).

Moving forward, safety measures in destination countries will affect travel recovery. Most countries have dropped testing requirements on arrivals from mainland China, and Chinese outbound group travel has resumed but is still limited to selected countries.

Many Chinese travelers—maybe 20 percent—have had passports expire during the COVID-19 period, and China has not been renewing these passports. Renewals are now possible, but the backlog will slow travel’s rebound by a few months. 12 Steve Saxon, “ What to expect from China’s travel rebound ,” McKinsey, January 25, 2023. Furthermore, travel visas for destination countries can take some time to be processed and issued.

Taken together, these factors suggest that the returning wave of Chinese travelers may only gather momentum by the Summer of 2023 and that China’s travel recovery will likely lag Hong Kong’s by a few months.

Overall, China is opening up to travel, both inbound and outbound—all types of visas are being issued to foreign visitors, and locals are getting ready to travel abroad. 13 “China to resume issuing all types of visas for foreigners,” China Briefing, March 14, 2023.

Would you like to learn more about our Travel, Logistics & Infrastructure Practice ?

The returning chinese traveler is evolving.

Although Chinese travelers did not have opportunities to travel internationally over the past three years, they continued to travel domestically and explore new offerings. Annual domestic trips remained at around 50 percent of pre-pandemic levels, amounting to 8.7 billion domestic trips over the past three years. 14 China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism. During this time, the domestic market matured, and travelers became more sophisticated as they tried new leisure experiences such as beach resorts, skiing trips, and “staycations” in home cities. Chinese travelers became more experienced as thanks to periods of low COVID-19 infection rates domestically they explored China’s vast geography and diverse experiences on offer.

Consequently, the post-COVID-19 Chinese traveler is even more digitally savvy, has high expectations, and seeks novel experiences. These are some of the characteristics of a typical traveler:

• Experience-oriented: Wave 6 of the survey shows that the rebound tourist is planning their trip around experiences. Outdoor and scenic trips remain the most popular travel theme. In survey waves 1 to 3, sightseeing and “foodie” experiences were high on the list of preferences while traveling. From waves 4 to 6, culture and history, beaches and resorts, and health and wellness gained more attention—solidifying the trend for experience-driven travel. Additionally, possibly due to the hype of the Winter Olympics, skiing and snowboarding have become popular activities.
• Hyper-digitized: While digitization is a global trend, Chinese consumers are some of the most digitally savvy in the world; mobile technologies and social media are at the core of daily life. COVID-19 drove people to spend more time online—now short-form videos and livestreaming have become the top online entertainment options in China. In the first half of 2022, Chinese consumers spent 30 percent of their mobile internet time engaging with short videos. 15 “In the first half of the year, the number of mobile netizens increased, and short videos accounted for nearly 30% of the total time spent online,” Chinadaily.com, 27 July 2022.
• Exploration enthusiasts: Chinese travelers are also keen to explore the world and embark on novel experiences in unfamiliar destinations. Survey respondents were looking forward to visiting new attractions, even when travel policies limited their travel radius. Instead of revisiting destinations, 45 percent of respondents picked short trips to new sites as their number one choice, followed by long trips to new sites as their second choice.

Consumers are optimistic, and travel spending remains resilient

McKinsey’s 2022 research on Chinese consumer sentiment shows that although economic optimism is seeing a global decline, 49 percent of Chinese respondents reported that they are optimistic about their country’s economic recovery. Optimism had dropped by 6 percentage points since an earlier iteration of the survey, but Chinese consumers continue to be more optimistic than other surveyed countries, apart from India (80 percent optimistic) and Indonesia (73 percent optimistic) (Exhibit 3). 16 “ Survey: Chinese consumer sentiment during the coronavirus crisis ,” McKinsey, October 13, 2022.

Chinese consumers are still keen to spend on travel, and travel spending is expected to be resilient. Wave 6 of the tourist attitude survey saw 87 percent of respondents claiming that they will spend more or maintain their level of travel spending. Moreover, when consumers were asked “which categories do you intend to splurge/treat yourself to,” travel ranked second, with 29 percent of respondents preferring travel over other categories. 17 “ Survey: Chinese consumer sentiment during the coronavirus crisis ,” McKinsey, October 13, 2022.

Against this context of consumer optimism, the wave 6 tourist attitude survey results shed light on how travelers plan to spend, and which segments are likely to spend more than others:

• The wealthier segment and older age groups (age 45-65) show the most resilience in terms of travel spend. Around 45 to 50 percent of travelers in these two groups will spend more on their next leisure trip.
• The wealthier segment has shown the most interest in beach and resort trips (48 percent). Instead of celebrating Chinese New Year at home with family, 30 percent of Chinese travelers in the senior age group (age 55-65) expect to take their next leisure trip during this holiday—10 percent more than the total average. And the top three trip preferences for senior travelers are culture, sightseeing, and health-themed trips.
• When it comes to where travelers plan to spend their money on their next trip, entertainment activities, food, and shopping are the most popular categories. These are also the most flexible and variable spending categories, and there are opportunities to up-sell—attractions, food and beverage, and retail players are well positioned to create unique and unexpected offerings to stimulate spending in this area (Exhibit 4).

Independent accommodation is gaining popularity

Overall, Chinese consumers have high expectations for products and services. McKinsey’s 2023 consumer report found that local brands are on the rise and consumers are choosing local products for their quality, not just for their cheaper prices. Chinese consumers are becoming savvier, and tap into online resources and social media to educate themselves about the specific details and features of product offerings. 18 Daniel Zipser, Daniel Hui, Jia Zhou, and Cherie Zhang, 2023 McKinsey China Consumer Report , McKinsey, December 2022.

Furthermore, 49 percent of Chinese consumers believe that domestic brands are of “better quality” than foreign brands—only 23 percent believe the converse is true. Functionality extended its lead as the most important criterion influencing Chinese consumers, indicating that consumers are focusing more on the functional aspects of products, and less on emotional factors. Branding thus has less influence on purchasing decisions. 19 Daniel Zipser, Daniel Hui, Jia Zhou, and Cherie Zhang, 2023 McKinsey China Consumer Report , McKinsey, December 2022.

These broader consumer sentiments are echoed in the travel sector. Chinese travelers pay attention to cost, but do not simply seek out the lowest prices. While 17 percent of wave 6 respondents are concerned about low prices, 33 percent are on the hunt for value-for-money offerings, and 30 percent prefer good discounts and worthwhile deals.

And consumer sentiment regarding local brands holds true for travel preferences. Independent travel accommodation continues to be the preferred choice for most respondents, increasing in share against international chain brand hotels (Exhibit 5). Almost 60 percent of respondents prefer independent accommodation such as boutique hotels, B&Bs, and Airbnb—an 8 percentage-point increase since 2020.

Local chain brand hotels remain stable, the favored accommodation for 20 percent of respondents. These hotels are seen as a more standardized option, and as most are located in urban areas, they target the budget traveler segment.

Opting for independent accommodation is not considered a trade down; Chinese travelers expect a high level of service. In particular, respondents in the wealthier segment picked independent options (57 percent) over international premium brands (27 percent).

Premium independent options for the wealthier segment are abundant, specifically in leisure travel. Setting up a premium brand hotel requires long-term construction periods and heavy capital investment. Small-scale boutique hotels or B&Bs, on the other hand, are more agile solutions that can ramp up in the short term. This may explain the abundance of premium independent offerings. For instance, in destinations such as Lijiang and Yangshuo, between seven and nine of the top-ten premium hotels listed on Ctrip are independent boutique hotels.

Premium independent accommodation’s strength lies in quality guest experience with a genuine human touch. The service level at premium independent establishments can even surpass that of chain brand accommodation thanks to the high staff-to-room ratio, which easily reaches 3:1 or even 5:1. 20 “Strategic marketing analysis of boutique hotels,” Travel Daily , June 3, 2015. For hotels in Xiamen, Lijiang, and Yangshou, Ctrip service ratings of premium independent hotels are all above 4.7, outperforming international chain brand hotels.

Travelers are becoming smarter and more realistic during hotel selection, focusing on fundamental offerings such as local features and value for money. Across all types of hotels, local features are one of the most important factors influencing hotel selection—even for chain brand hotels which have a reputation for mastering the standardized offering. On average, 34 percent of respondents report that local features and cultural elements are the key considerations affecting their choice of hotel.

Outbound Chinese tourists are evolving rapidly, becoming increasingly diverse in their travel preferences, behaviors, and spending patterns. Chinese travelers are not homogeneous, and their needs and preferences continue to evolve. Therefore, serving each group of tourists may require different product offerings, sales channels, or marketing techniques.

The path toward eco-friendly travel in China

How international travel and tourism can attract outbound chinese travelers.

China’s lifting of travel restrictions may cause some uncertainty in the short term, but a promising recovery lies ahead. Chinese tourists have maintained a strong desire to travel internationally and are willing to pay for this experience. They are also discerning and looking for high-quality accommodation, offerings, and service. As boutique hotels are becoming more popular, international hotel brands hotels could, for example, aim to stand out by leveraging their experience in service excellence.

With renewed travel demand, now may be the time for international travel and tourism businesses to invest in polishing product offerings—on an infrastructural and service level. Tourism, food and beverage, retail, and entertainment providers can start preparing for the rebound by providing unique and innovative experiences that entice the adventurous Chinese traveler.

Craft an authentically local offering that appeals to experience-driven Chinese travelers

Chinese travelers have suspended overseas trips for three years, and are now looking to enjoy high-quality experiences in destinations they have been to before. They also want to do more than shopping and sightseeing, and have expressed willingness to spend on offerings geared towards entertainment and experience. This includes activities like theme parks, snow sports, water sports, shows, and cultural activities. Authentic experiences can satisfy their desire for an immersive foreign experience, but they often want the experience to be familiar and accessible.

Designing the right product means tapping into deep customer insights to craft offerings that are accessible for Chinese travelers, within a comfortable and familiar setting, yet are still authentic and exciting.

Travel and tourism providers may also have opportunities to up-sell or cross-sell experiences and entertainment offerings.

Social media is essential

Social media is emerging as one of the most important sources of inspiration for travel. Short video now is a major influence channel across all age groups and types of consumers.

Tourist destinations have begun to leverage social media, and short video campaigns, to maximize exposure. For example, Tourism Australia recently launched a video campaign with a kangaroo character on TikTok, and overall views soon reached around 1.67 billion.

The story of Ding Zhen, a young herder from a village in Sichuan province, illustrates the power of online video in China. In 2020, a seven-second video of Ding Zhen turned him into an overnight media sensation. Soon after, he was approached to become a tourism ambassador for Litang county in Sichuan—and local tourism flourished. 21 “Tibetan herder goes viral, draws attention to his hometown in SW China,” Xinhuanet, December 11, 2020. Another Sichuan local, the director of the Culture and Tourism Bureau in Ganzi, has drawn visitors to the region through his popular cosplay videos that generated 7 million reviews. Building on the strength of these influential celebrities, visitor numbers to the region were said to reach 35 million, more than two-and-a-half times 2016 volumes. 22 “Local official promoting Sichuan tourism goes viral on internet,” China Daily, June 17, 2022; “The Director of Culture and Tourism disguises himself as a “Swordsman” knight to promote Ganzi tourism,” Travel Daily , June 17, 2022.

Online travel companies are also using social media to reach consumers. Early in the pandemic, Trip.com took advantage of the upward trend in livestreaming. The company’s co-founder and chairman of the board, James Liang, hosted weekly livestreams where he dressed up in costume or chatted to guests at various destinations. Between March and October 2020, Liang’s livestreams sold around $294 million’s worth of travel packages and hotel room reservations. 23 “Travel companies adapt to a livestreaming trend that may outlast the pandemic,” Skift, October 26, 2020.

Livestreaming is being used by tourism boards, too. For instance, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) collaborated with Trip.com to launch a new campaign to attract Chinese tourists to Thailand as cross-border travel resumed. The broadcast, joined by TAT Governor Mr Yuthasak Supasorn, recorded sales of more than 20,000 room nights amounting to a gross merchandise value of over RMB 40 million. 24 “Trip.com Group sees border reopening surge in travel bookings boosted by Lunar New Year demand,” Trip.com, January 13, 2023.

International tourism providers looking to engage Chinese travelers should keep an eye on social media channels and fully leverage key opinion leaders.

Scale with the right channel partners

Travel distribution in China has evolved into a complex, fragmented, and Chinese-dominated ecosystem, making scaling an increasingly difficult task. Travel companies need to understand the key characteristics of each channel type, including online travel agencies (OTAs), online travel portals (OTPs), and traditional travel agencies as each target different customer segments, and offer different levels of control to brands. It also takes different sets of capabilities to manage each type of distribution channel.

Travel companies can prioritize the channels they wish to use and set clear roles for each. One challenge when choosing the right channel partner is to avoid ultra-low prices that may encourage volume, but could ultimately damage a brand.

Meanwhile, given the evolution of the postCOVID-19 industry landscape and rapid shifts in consumer demand, travel companies should consider direct-to-consumer (D2C) channels. The first step would be selecting the appropriate D2C positioning and strategy, according to the company’s needs. In China, D2C is a complicated market involving both public domains (such as social media and OTA platforms) and private domains (such as official brand platforms). To make the most of D2C, travel companies need a clear value proposition for their D2C strategy, whether it be focused on branding or on commercial/sales.

Create a seamless travel experience for the digitally savvy Chinese tourist

China has one of the most digitally advanced lifestyles on the planet. Chinese travelers are mobile-driven, wallet-less, and impatient—and frequently feel “digitally homesick” while abroad. Overseas destinations and tourism service providers could “spoil” tech-savvy Chinese travelers with digitally enhanced service.

China’s internet giants can provide a shortcut to getting digital services off the ground. Rather than building digital capabilities from scratch, foreign tourism providers could engage Chinese travelers through a platform that is already being used daily. For example, Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport provides a WeChat Mini Program with four modules: duty-free shopping, flight inquiry, information transfer, and travel planning. This contains information about all aspects of the airport, including ground transportation and tax refund procedures.

Alibaba’s Alipay, a third-party mobile and online payment platform, is also innovating in this space. The service provider has cooperated with various tax refund agencies, such as Global Blue, to enable a seamless digitized tax refund experience. Travelers scan completed tax refund forms at automated kiosks in the airport, and within a few hours, the refunded amount is transferred directly to their Alipay accounts. 25 “Alipay and Global Blue to make tax refunds easy for Chinese tourists,” Alizila, June 23, 2014.

Such digital applications are likely to be the norm going forward, not a differentiator, so travel companies that do not invest in this area may be left behind.

Chinese travelers are on the cusp of returning in full force, and tourism providers can start preparing now

With China’s quarantine requirements falling away at the start of 2023, travelers are planning trips, renewing passports and visas, and readying themselves for a comeback. Chinese tourists have not lost their appetite for travel, and a boom in travel demand can be expected soon. Though airlines are slow to restore capacity, and some destination countries are more risk averse when welcoming Chinese travelers, there are still options for Chinese tourists to explore destinations abroad.

Tourism providers can expect to welcome travelers with diverse interests who are willing to spend money on travel, who are seeking out exciting experiences, and who are choosing high-quality products and services. The returning Chinese traveler is digitally savvy and favors functionality over branding—trends suggest that providers who can craft authentic, seamless, and unique offerings could be well positioned to capture this market.

Guang Chen and Jackey Yu are partners in McKinsey’s Hong Kong office, Zi Chen is a capabilities and insights specialist in the Shanghai office, and Steve Saxon is a partner in the Shenzhen office.

The authors wish to thank Cherie Zhang, Glenn Leibowitz, Na Lei, and Monique Wu for their contributions to this article.

Explore a career with us

Related articles.

• Travel, Tourism & Hospitality ›

Leisure Travel

Travel and tourism industry in China - statistics & facts

Promising growth, the aftermath of covid-19, key insights.

Detailed statistics

Absolute economic contribution of tourism in China 2014-2029

Share of the GDP of the tourism sector in China 2013-2028

Revenue from tourism in China 2012-2022

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Current statistics on this topic.

Travel, Tourism & Hospitality

Number of outbound visitor departures from China 2010-2024

International tourist arrivals in China 2010-2021

Related topics

Recommended.

• Tourism worldwide
• Cruise industry worldwide
• Business travel and exhibition industry in China
• Luxury goods market in China
• Lunar New Year in China

Recommended statistics

• Premium Statistic Revenue from tourism in China 2012-2022
• Premium Statistic Growth rate in tourism revenue in China 2012-2022
• Basic Statistic Contribution of China's travel and tourism industry to GDP 2014-2023
• Basic Statistic Number of travel and tourism jobs in China 2019-2033
• Premium Statistic Number of travel agencies in China 2008-2022
• Premium Statistic Tourism revenue during Chinese New Year in China 2017-2024
• Premium Statistic Travel destinations planned by Chinese people for 2022

China's revenue from tourism from 2012 to 2022 (in billion yuan)

Growth rate in tourism revenue in China 2012-2022

Annual change in the tourism revenue in China from 2012 to 2022

Contribution of China's travel and tourism industry to GDP 2014-2023

Travel and tourism industry's share of GDP in China from 2014 to 2022 with a forecast for 2023, by direct and total contribution

Number of travel and tourism jobs in China 2019-2033

Total number of travel and tourism industry jobs in China from 2019 to 2022 with forecasts for 2023 and 2033 (in millions)

Number of travel agencies in China 2008-2022

Number of travel agencies in China from 2008 to 2022

Tourism revenue during Chinese New Year in China 2017-2024

Tourism revenue during Spring Festival in China from 2017 to 2024 (in billion yuan)

Travel destinations planned by Chinese people for 2022

Main destinations of international trips planned for 2022 among people in China as of July 2022, by region

Domestic tourism

• Premium Statistic Number of domestic tourist arrivals in China 2013-2023
• Premium Statistic Quarterly domestic tourist arrivals in China Q4 2019-Q4 2023
• Premium Statistic Expenses of domestic tourists in China 2013-2023
• Premium Statistic Total number of local tourists during Chinese New Year in China 2017-2024
• Premium Statistic Most popular domestic travel destinations of Chinese millionaires 2024

Number of domestic tourist arrivals in China 2013-2023

Number of domestic visitor arrivals in China from 2013 to 2023 (in millions)

Quarterly domestic tourist arrivals in China Q4 2019-Q4 2023

Quarterly number of domestic visitor arrivals in China from 4th quarter 2019 to 4th quarter 2023 (in millions)

Expenses of domestic tourists in China 2013-2023

Expenses of domestic tourists in China from 2013 to 2023 (in billion yuan)

Total number of local tourists during Chinese New Year in China 2017-2024

Total number of domestic tourists during Spring Festival in China from 2017 to 2024 (in millions)

Most popular domestic travel destinations of Chinese millionaires 2024

Leading domestic travel destinations of Chinese millionaires as of 2024

International tourism

• Premium Statistic China's revenue from international tourism 2000-2021
• Premium Statistic International tourist arrivals in China 2010-2021
• Premium Statistic Number of outbound visitor departures from China 2010-2024
• Premium Statistic International tourism spending of Chinese tourists 2008-2021
• Premium Statistic Number of visitors to the U.S. from China 2005-2025
• Premium Statistic Most popular international travel destinations among Chinese millionaires 2024

China's revenue from international tourism 2000-2021

China's revenue from international tourism from 2000 to 2021 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Overseas visitor arrivals in China from 2010 to 2020 with an estimate for 2021 (in millions)

Number of outbound tourists departing from China from 2010 to 2023 with a forecast for 2024 (in millions)

International tourism spending of Chinese tourists 2008-2021

International tourism expenditure of Chinese tourists from 2008 to 2021 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Number of visitors to the U.S. from China 2005-2025

Number of tourist arrivals in the United States from China from 2005 to 2022 with forecasts until 2025 (in millions)

Most popular international travel destinations among Chinese millionaires 2024

Favorite international travel destinations of Chinese millionaires as of 2024

Online travel market

• Premium Statistic Transaction volume of the Chinese online travel booking market 2013-2022
• Premium Statistic Number of online travel booking users in China 2015-2023
• Premium Statistic Penetration rate of online travel booking in China 2015-2023
• Premium Statistic Market share index of leading online travel agencies in China 2019
• Premium Statistic Revenue of Trip.com Group 2012-2022
• Premium Statistic Tuniu's revenue 2014-2022

Transaction volume of the Chinese online travel booking market 2013-2022

Transaction volume of the online travel booking market in China from 2013 to 2020 with estimates until 2022 (in billion yuan)

Number of online travel booking users in China 2015-2023

Number of online travel booking users in China from 2015 to 2023 (in millions)

Penetration rate of online travel booking in China 2015-2023

Penetration rate of online travel booking in China from 2015 to 2023

Market share index of leading online travel agencies in China 2019

Market share index of leading Chinese online travel agencies based on revenues in 2019

Revenue of Trip.com Group 2012-2022

Net revenue of Trip.com Group Ltd. in China from 2012 to 2022 (in billion yuan)

Tuniu's revenue 2014-2022

Revenue of Tuniu Corporation from 2014 to 2022 (in billion yuan)

COVID-19 impact on tourism industry

• Premium Statistic Reasons to not travel long-haul to Europe worldwide 2023, by country
• Premium Statistic COVID-19 coronavirus impact on domestic tourism in China 2020
• Premium Statistic Travel sector employee employment situation during coronavirus pandemic in China 2022
• Premium Statistic Unemployment length in travel sector during coronavirus pandemic in China 2022
• Premium Statistic Expected time of traveling abroad after lifting quarantine restrictions in China 2022
• Premium Statistic Preferred travel destinations after lifting quarantine restrictions in China 2022

Reasons to not travel long-haul to Europe worldwide 2023, by country

Main reasons to avoid long-haul travel to Europe in the next 12 months in selected countries worldwide as of December 2023

COVID-19 coronavirus impact on domestic tourism in China 2020

Loss rate of domestic tourists and travel revenue in China affected by coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic in 1st half 2020 and forecasted loss rate for whole year 2020

Travel sector employee employment situation during coronavirus pandemic in China 2022

Employment status of travel and tourism sector employees during COVID-19 pandemic in China as of February 2022

Unemployment length in travel sector during coronavirus pandemic in China 2022

Unemployment length among those who lost their jobs in tourism sector during COVID-19 pandemic in China as of February 2022

Expected time of traveling abroad after lifting quarantine restrictions in China 2022

Expected time frame before traveling abroad for leisure after lifting quarantine restrictions in China as of October 2022

Preferred travel destinations after lifting quarantine restrictions in China 2022

Leading leisure travel destinations among international travelers when all quarantine restrictions are lifted in China as of October 2022

Further reports Get the best reports to understand your industry

Get the best reports to understand your industry.

• Medical tourism
• Civil aviation in China
• Coronavirus: economic impact in China

Mon - Fri, 9am - 6pm (EST)

Mon - Fri, 9am - 5pm (SGT)

Mon - Fri, 10:00am - 6:00pm (JST)

Mon - Fri, 9:30am - 5pm (GMT)

China Lifts Bans on Group Tours to US, Japan and Other Key Markets

FILE PHOTO: Travellers walk past an installation in the shape of five stars, at Beijing Daxing International Airport in Beijing, China April 24, 2023. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/file photo

By Casey Hall, Sophie Yu and Joyce Lee

BEIJING (Reuters) -China has lifted pandemic-era restrictions on group tours for more countries, including key markets such as the United States, Japan, South Korea and Australia in a potential boon for their tourism industries.

The decision was announced by China's culture and tourism ministry on Thursday, effective immediately.

Prior to the pandemic, mainland Chinese tourists spent more than any other country's tourists when abroad, clocking up a combined $255 billion in 2019 with group tours estimated to account for roughly 60% of that.

Their absence since the pandemic has led to financial troubles for many tourism-dependent businesses around the globe.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo described the step as "a significant win" for the U.S. tourism industry and said it was the result of "months of hard work" between the U.S. Commerce Department and the Chinese culture and tourism ministry.

Photos You Should See - April 2024

Germany and Britain were also among the countries for which restrictions were lifted but Canada, which has had especially politically fraught relations with China of late, was not reinstated.

It was China's third list of countries to receive approvals. The first batch approved in January included 20 countries such as Thailand, Russia, Cuba and Argentina. The second batch in March included 40 countries, among them Nepal, France, Portugal and Brazil.

China has never explained its staggered approach to approvals but analysts have noted that the countries taking time to gain approval have had more political and/or trade tension with the world's second-largest economy.

The move was also welcomed by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida as well as tourism ministers in South Korea and Australia, who said it would boost their economies.

"This is another positive step towards the stabilisation of our relationship with China," said Australian Trade and Tourism Minister Don Farrell.

Just how much outbound Chinese tourism will bounce back for the latest group of countries remains to be seen. Expectations that demand would come roaring back after borders were re-opened have to date been largely unfulfilled.

International flights in and out of China have recovered to only 53% of 2019 levels as of July.

That is in large part due to staffing issues for many global airlines that have limited the flying of more routes, slow visa issuance for Chinese travellers amid backlogs in many Western countries, and a sputtering domestic economy that is discouraging many holidaying Chinese from spending big.

In response to the news, some Chinese said online that they were less than enthusiastic about international trips.

"I don't want to go; I feel domestic travel is pretty good, such as the beautiful scenery in Xinjiang and the Northeast and the food is cheap," said one Weibo user with the handle @Chongshengshilangbushilang.

But others were more upbeat.

"Despite a cooling overall economy, 40% of (Chinese) people say they will spend more on travel," said Steve Saxon, a partner at McKinsey & Co. "People want to spend the money they've saved during COVID on international travel."

Trip.com, China's largest travel agency, noted that the news had led to a spike in searches for destinations including Australia and Japan. Those countries, along with several other Asian nations and the United States, are among the most visited by Chinese travelers.

"The opening of group travel from China to the U.S. is a significant milestone," said Adam Burke, head of the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board. "It's impossible to overstate the importance of Chinese tourism to Los Angeles."

Shares in firms in the latest group of countries with large exposure to Chinese travel demand jumped on the news. Gains for South Korean casino operators were particularly striking, with Grand Korea Leisure and Paradise surging 20% and 18% respectively on Thursday.

Two sources in South Korea's travel industry told Reuters it was the first time group tours from China would be allowed on a large scale since a 2016 dispute over Seoul's deployment of a U.S. missile defence system. China has never publicly acknowledged limiting group tours to South Korea.

(Reporting by Casey Hall in Shanghai, Sophie Yu in Beijing and Joyce Lee in Seoul; Additional reporting by the Beijing newsroom, Kanishka Singh and David Shepardson in Washington and Doyinsola Oladipo in New York; Editing by Jamie Freed, Edwina Gibbs and Andy Sullivan)

Copyright 2023 Thomson Reuters .

Join the Conversation

Tags: South Korea , infectious diseases , Canada , United States , United Kingdom , Japan , Germany , World Health Organization , Australia , diseases , United Nations , Coronavirus , Asia , Europe

America 2024

Health News Bulletin

Stay informed on the latest news on health and COVID-19 from the editors at U.S. News & World Report.

Sign in to manage your newsletters »

Sign up to receive the latest updates from U.S News & World Report and our trusted partners and sponsors. By clicking submit, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions & Privacy Policy .

You May Also Like

The 10 worst presidents.

U.S. News Staff Feb. 23, 2024

Cartoons on President Donald Trump

Feb. 1, 2017, at 1:24 p.m.

Photos: Obama Behind the Scenes

April 8, 2022

Photos: Who Supports Joe Biden?

March 11, 2020

‘A Rule for the Ages’

Lauren Camera April 25, 2024

Sale? Ban? What’s Next for TikTok?

Laura Mannweiler April 25, 2024

The Status of the Cases Against Trump

Lauren Camera and Kaia Hubbard April 25, 2024

Economy Slows in First Quarter

Tim Smart April 25, 2024

A ‘Fork in the Road’ for Democracy

Lauren Camera April 24, 2024

Johnson at Columbia: ’Stop the Nonsense’

Aneeta Mathur-Ashton April 24, 2024

• China Daily PDF
• China Daily E-paper
• Cross-Strait
• Cover Story
• Environment

China resumes group tours to over 70 countries

On Thursday, China announced the resumption of group tours to 78 countries, including popular travel destinations such as Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia.

The announcement has sparked a surge of tourists making inquiries to travel agencies, and they quickly added new travel options for the countries.

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism said in a notice that, starting from Thursday, outbound group travel services offered by travel agencies and online travel companies will resume.

Since February, the ministry has resumed group tours to 60 countries in two batches.

Since the trial resumptions of outbound group travel has been resumed for Chinese citizens, the overall outbound tourism market has remained stable and orderly, playing a positive role in tourism exchange and cooperation, the notice said.

China had the largest outbound tourism market in the world in 2019 before the COVID-19 epidemic, with 169 million trips being made that year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

• Fruitful results for South East Asian nations and China since 2016 agreement
• WKU hosts Sino-US Entrepreneur Roundtable
• China urges US to look at its development positively
• China-UK ELT partnership set
• Chinese procuratorates approve 168,000 arrests in Q1
• 3 deaths in firecracker factory explosion

Moodie Davitt Report

Connect with us

China Tourism Group Duty Free Q1 sales slip -9.45% but gross profit margin improves sharply

CHINA. China Tourism Group Duty Free Corporation (CTG), parent company of China Duty Free Group – the world’s largest travel retailer by sales* – this week posted a slight +0.25% year-on-year increase in Q1 net profits to RMB2.306 billion (US$318,231,459).

Gross profit margin reached 33.31%, an encouraging increase of 4.31 percentage points year-on-year.

However, operating income fell -9.45% year-on-year to RMB18.807 billion (US$2.6 billion).

Basic earnings per share reached RMB1.1148, up +0.24% over the same period in 2023.

“The company has a steady improvement in profitability,” CTG commented. “The proportion of offline business continuously rebounded, and the sales structure constantly optimised.

“As mentioned in the company’s 2023 annual report, in 2024, CTG Duty Free will continue to firmly grasp the opportunities of the new development pattern.

“It will implement the 14th Five-Year Plan; continue to optimise the business layout and business structure; further promote reform and innovation and management service improvement; comprehensively accomplish various tasks; and promote the high-quality development of the company.” ✈

*Source: The Moodie Davitt Report Top Travel Retailers

Follow us :

The Moodie Davitt Report Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter for critical marketing information delivered to your inbox

Related Articles

The opening is part of a major F&B transformation programme by Ontario International Airport after signing an agreement with SSP America early last year to manage the F&B concessions at the Southern California travel hub.

Delegates for the much-anticipated event are highly encouraged to sign up before the 30 April to enjoy the attractive Early Bird offer of US$1,400 per delegate.

Gebr. Heinemann turnover climbed by +25% year-on-year in 2023, with both retail and distribution contributing strongly. With double-digit growth in Q1 2024, the family-owned company says it will hit €4 billion in annual sales for the first time.

US travel sector faces long wait for China tourism to hit 2019 highs

• Medium Text

Sign up here.

Reporting by Aishwarya Jain in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika Syamnath

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. New Tab , opens new tab

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Ecuadorean authorities have reached a staff-level agreement to underpin a four-year, $4 billion extended fund facility (EFF), the IMF said in a statement on Thursday.

An outspoken couple weeks for Brazil's central bank chief, including criticism of budget policy and comments scrapping monetary policy guidance, have soured relations with a Finance Ministry team who had been his strongest partners in government.

Markets Chevron

Stocks face worst month since September, yen swings after BoJ

Global stocks were teetering on Friday towards their worst month since September, although futures markets predicted strong tech earnings would spark a Wall Street relief rally later in the day that would help traders recoup some losses.

A U.S. Federal Reserve meeting and Apple and Amazon reporting results will keep investors' focus in the days ahead on the global rates outlook and on tech earnings, while growth and inflation data from Europe and China are also coming out.

China’s Outbound Tourism is Changing, Female Travelers Are Leading the Way

Peden Doma Bhutia , Skift

April 10th, 2024 at 8:01 AM EDT

The evolving demographics of Chinese outbound travel shows a jump in younger female travelers. This shift will have important implications for how businesses approach their marketing strategies and the kind of products on offer.

Peden Doma Bhutia

A notable demographic shift, particularly among young upwardly mobile women, is driving the recent travel rebound in China . These travelers are researching and booking trips online, often spontaneously.

According to the most recent travel sentiment survey conducted by China Trading Desk, 62% of outbound travelers were female. Among them, almost 40% fell within the ages of 18 to 24, and a little over 27% were 25 to 29-year-olds.

According to China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, there were 3.6 million outbound trips taken during the Chinese New Year (from February 10-17).

Skift earlier cited a Dragon Trail research that expects China’s outbound tourism to reach 80% of pre-pandemic levels by 2024 end.

The five-day Labor Day holiday that begins from May 1 and the summer travel season are expected to further drive outbound tourism.

Women Power Drives Travel

Subramania Bhatt, founder and CEO of China Trading Desk, emphasized the emergence of a new cohort of digitally-savvy travelers seeking culturally enriching experiences. He highlighted that this demographic is predominantly young, female, and educated, with many opting for solo trips.

“These travelers exhibit a strong interest in independent travel, nature activities, and cultural experiences,” Bhatt told Skift.

He emphasized the need for travel businesses and destinations to better cater to these travelers by prioritizing safety, wellness, and support services.

Businesses should focus on promoting shopping and luxury experiences, along with unique local activities that appeal to the interests of young Chinese women travelers, he said.

Regarding travel preferences, the survey revealed that shopping ranked among the top five consumption items for outbound travel along with accommodation, air tickets and food. Over a quarter of travelers said they research shopping activities before purchasing air tickets, with this percentage rising to just under 70% among those aged 18 to 29.

Challenges of U.S. Travel

Analyzing destination popularity among Chinese travelers, Singapore maintains its lead position, followed by Thailand and South Korea.

During the first quarter of 2024, China contributed the highest number of visitor arrivals to Singapore, with nearly 724,000 entries. This marked a 481% year-on-year jump, reaching 75% of the visitor arrivals in 2019 for the same period.

In February, Singapore and China implemented a 30-day visa-free travel arrangement . Also, from March 1, Thailand and China entered into a mutual visa exemption agreement .

However, travel to the United States from China remains subdued . Bhatt predicts that Chinese travel to the U.S. may start to recover by the fourth quarter of 2024 or early 2025, barring any additional constraints.

“A variety of challenges, notably stringent visa regulations, geopolitical strains, and advisories from the Chinese government are holding back U.S. travel,” he said.

Recent incidents of professionals and students experiencing entry denials or interrogations upon arrival in the U.S. have led to official warnings about potential travel disruptions or cancellations, he said.

“Given the ongoing geopolitical complexities and the U.S. elections in November, prospects for immediate improvement in U.S.-China travel dynamics appear limited,” Bhatt said.

The survey listed government travel restrictions among the top factors influencing travel decisions.

Apps to Plan, Research and Pay

Chinese travelers are also booking trips faster and using digital platforms more. This suggests a trend towards spontaneity and flexibility driven by their digital skills, according to the survey.

They use popular travel apps like CTrip and Qunar, as well as social media platforms like Douyin and Xiaohongshu (China’s Instagram), to get information and plan trips. These platforms are also often used for organizing shopping excursions.

Bhatt stresses the importance of digital tools in travel and shopping, noting how they shape travel plans.

Friend recommendations strongly influence hotel bookings, followed by digital ads, highlighting the importance of social networks and targeted marketing in the hospitality industry.

For improving shopping experiences, travelers, especially those aged between 18 and 29 prefer using digital wallets and mobile payments. Alipay is the top payment method for outbound travel, with WeChat Pay also widely used among Chinese travelers.

The Daily Newsletter

Our daily coverage of the global travel industry. Written by editors and analysts from across Skift’s brands.

Have a confidential tip for Skift? Get in touch

Tags: alipay , asia monthly , china , china outbound , ctrip , digital payments , politics , singapore , social media , survey , visa waiver , wechat pay , women travelers

Photo credit: Chinese female travelers exhibit a strong interest in independent travel, nature activities, and cultural experiences. Kuan Fang / Unsplash

• Solid growth projected for tourism this year

Tourists watch birds at Laohutan scenic area in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 16, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

• The tourism sector will continue to grow in the first half of this year, after a prosperous first three months, experts said.

A report released recently by the China Tourism Academy said that in the first quarter of the year the tourism economy had recovered to roughly the level seen at the start of 2019 — before COVID-19 hit — following three quarters of growth. Tourism industry operators expressed growing confidence and people felt a stronger desire for travel in the first quarter.

The report said domestic tourism and related consumption rose 20 percent in the first quarter, with inbound and outbound visits averaging around 20 million a month.

"The tourism economy saw a good opening and stable operation in the first quarter, and the market has stepped into a period of new development," Ma Yiliang, the academy's chief statistician, said at a recent meeting in Beijing.

He said the tourism market has benefited from preferential policies on visas and payments as well as an increase in international flights.

"We've noticed that the increasing travel has brought increasing consumption," he said. "Also, some small cities or less-known destinations such as Harbin, in the northeastern province of Heilongjiang, and Tianshui, in northwest China's Gansu province, have gained popularity among young people because of their lower travel costs and good services. With more cities growing as trending destinations, they will invigorate the tourism industry."

Nanjing, capital of the eastern province of Jiangsu, received 65 million visits during the quarter, and the number of travelers on holidays such as Spring Festival was 3.5 times higher than usual, according to the city's culture and tourism bureau. More than 200 million people visited Nanjing last year.

"We estimate that the tourism economy will see a continuous and steady recovery in the first half of the year," Ma said. "Domestic tourist travel and tourism-related revenue will be roughly close to that of the same period of 2019, and inbound and outbound tourism will continuously increase."

In February, the academy estimated that domestic tourism visits will exceed 6 billion this year, with tourism-related revenue of over 6 trillion yuan ($830 billion). It said it expected inbound and outbound visits would surpass 260 million, bringing in international tourism revenue of $100 billion.

Go to Forum >> 0 Comment(s)

Add your comments....

• User Name Required
• Your Comment

We've detected unusual activity from your computer network

To continue, please click the box below to let us know you're not a robot.

Why did this happen?

Please make sure your browser supports JavaScript and cookies and that you are not blocking them from loading. For more information you can review our Terms of Service and Cookie Policy .

For inquiries related to this message please contact our support team and provide the reference ID below.

• INSTITUTIONS

GUANGZHOU, April 23 -- The Ministry of Culture and Tourism in China launched a national initiative on Tuesday in Zhuhai, a city in south China's Guangdong Province, to promote cultural and tourism consumption.

The initiative, which is scheduled to run from April 2024 to February 2025, will include various promotional activities tailored for the May Day holidays, summer vacations, National Day holidays, and the Spring Festival or Chinese New Year.

Collaborating closely with local authorities, the ministry will organize themed events to introduce unique cultural and tourism activities, innovative consumption opportunities, and consumer-friendly measures. This concerted effort aims to ensure that both businesses and the general public reap benefits from this initiative.

Copyright© www.gov.cn | About us | Contact us

Website identification code bm01000001 registration number: 05070218, all rights reserved. the content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to www.gov.cn., without written authorization from www.gov.cn, such content shall not be republished or used in any form., copyright© www.gov.cn | contact us, website identification code bm01000001, registration number: 05070218.