Travel to China: What you need to know

CGTN Europe

China is enjoying a surge in international visitors, with international vloggers leading the way in sharing first-hand experiences of the country's landmarks, tourist attractions and local customs. In 2024, approximately 32 million foreigners visited China, marking a 78% increase from the previous year.   What's bringing China back to travelers' bucket list? Find out in CGTN Europe's explainer series China Explained.  #ChinaExplained #2025ChinaAgenda #ChinaTravel #Travel #ChinaTravelTips #ForbiddenCity #TempleofHeaven #Beijing #Shanghai #Zhangjiajie

Transcript

00:00Whoa, this is so cool.

00:02Oh my gosh, we're on the Great Wall of China.

00:05It's indescribable, you have to come here.

00:10If you're into travel, maybe you've noticed something.

00:13People are once again talking about China.

00:16Young tourists are visiting the country,

00:18and they're posting all over social media,

00:21sharing their adventures with the world.

00:24But what's behind this trend?

00:26This is China Explained.

00:30China Explained

00:35China has been a tourism hotspot for a while.

00:39In fact, by 2019,

00:41China was the fourth most popular destination in the world,

00:45attracting an average of 135,000 visitors a day.

00:50But coming to China hasn't always been easy.

00:53There's the language barrier,

00:55payment systems that foreigners aren't used to,

00:59and of course, the travel visas,

01:01which created complications before visitors even arrived.

01:06But things are getting easier.

01:09China scrapped the visa requirement

01:11for six countries in December 2023.

01:14Less than a year later,

01:15tourists from nearly 40 countries

01:18could visit visa-free for up to 30 days.

01:22It also relaxed the rules for transit visas,

01:25allowing travelers from 54 nations to stop off in China

01:29on their way to a third country or territory.

01:33They can stay for up to 10 days without a visa.

01:37Officials say they've also tried to make things easier

01:40for those who need a visa.

01:43That means simplified application forms

01:46and less paperwork.

01:49But are these measures actually working?

01:52The numbers may offer some clues.

01:54In 2023, roughly 18 million foreigners visited China.

01:59By 2024, that number had surged to 32 million.

02:04It's hard to say if that's all thanks to the visa policy,

02:08but we do know this.

02:0962% of foreign tourists who came to China last year

02:14did not need a visa.

02:19More people are starting to knock on China's door,

02:22and some are surprised by what's inside.

02:26I'm shocked by how different Shanghai is

02:29to anything I thought it would be.

02:31It's extremely modern.

02:32This is one of the most popular parts of Shanghai.

02:36Shanghai has been called the best spot

02:39for travelers visiting China for the first time.

02:42The numbers back that up.

02:44Over 6 million people entered the country

02:47through Shanghai in 2024.

02:50Then there's Beijing,

02:51famous for its history and ancient architecture.

02:55We've been so looking forward to coming here as well.

02:59I actually can't believe we're here in person.

03:05These cities have been hotspots for decades,

03:08and now many tourists are looking for something more.

03:12They're exploring places like Chongqing, Xi'an, or Chengdu.

03:18So we've got the three wheels there.

03:20China is somewhere I thought I would never be lucky enough

03:24to get to visit,

03:25and I'm so grateful that there is a visa process now

03:29where you can come, you can transit through,

03:31and you can spend a few days,

03:32because seriously, incredible country.

03:35You have to come.

03:36Some visitors are amazed by China's tech.

03:41Oh my god, do you see it up there?

03:44It's massive!

03:45Others love the energy of the streets.

03:48I've never seen anything like this in my life.

03:52And the history behind the traditions.

03:56It's just incredible.

03:59I can't just imagine this place back 700 years ago

04:03being so big and so intricate and so detailed.

04:06And of course, there's the food.

04:09Lots and lots of food.

04:13There's another place that's causing a real buzz among tourists.

04:18You've probably seen it already,

04:20and you don't even know it.

04:22Jiangxiajie is the inspiration behind the floating mountains

04:26in the movie Avatar.

04:28Last year, more than 1.6 million people used the airport

04:32serving Jiangxiajie.

04:34Foreigners accounted for nearly 60% of entries and exits,

04:38making it one of the most popular destinations

04:41outside of China's big cities.

04:44Now, it's one thing inviting people to visit,

04:47but can you make them feel at home?

04:51That's the real challenge.

04:57China's economy is built on digital payment apps

05:00that use QR codes.

05:02Many visitors struggle to link their credit cards to Chinese apps.

05:06But things are changing.

05:09Tourists can now link Visa and MasterCard accounts

05:12to platforms like Alipay and WeChat Pay.

05:15Card added.

05:17That wasn't too hard.

05:18That means you can book hotels, hail taxis,

05:21jump on the subway, and pay for goods at millions of outlets,

05:25all without cash.

05:27Beijing and Shanghai took it a step further,

05:30offering all-in-one passes for their biggest attractions.

05:33Some of China's international airports

05:35also have payment service centers,

05:37which help visitors set up mobile payments

05:40and, if they need it, draw cash.

05:43Big picture, China is trying to make it easier

05:46for tourists to spend money.

05:48If it gets that right, it will pay off.

05:51Literally.

05:56The fact is, tourism is big business,

05:59and China wants it to get even bigger.

06:03Foreign visitors spent $130 billion in China in 2019.

06:09They spent $55 billion in 2023,

06:12when the border reopened.

06:14That spending made up less than 0.3% of China's GDP.

06:19Compare that to 0.8% in Japan,

06:221.2% in the UK,

06:24and 2.3% in France.

06:27Clearly, there is room for improvement.

06:30China is rethinking the way it welcomes the world,

06:33and that's sparking new ways of doing business.

06:37There's still some way to go,

06:39but China knows it has to innovate

06:41if it wants to win back tourists.

06:43So, who knows, this could be the start of a great journey,

06:47in more ways than one.

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