Let's talk about the true popularity of inbound tourism to China

Recently, a number of bloggers who have traveled to China have emerged on overseas platforms such as YouTube and TikTok. Their travel experiences in China stand in stark contrast to the negative image of China portrayed by Western media, overturning their previous perceptions of the country. These bloggers document and showcase their travel experiences in video format, praising China highly, which has sparked heated discussions among fans and overseas netizens, changing their previous understanding of China and prompting them to express a desire to travel to China.

Although overseas netizens' favorability towards Chinese tourism has greatly improved, inbound tourism data for Beijing and Shanghai in the first four months of this year was less than 70% of that in the same period of 2019. Zhiku Travel analyzed the reasons for this: firstly, many inbound tourists to Beijing and Shanghai are business travelers, a segment that has significantly decreased due to the economic environment; secondly, overseas bloggers are sharing and recommending independent travel in China, which is growing rapidly, while the traditional group tour market is recovering more slowly, resulting in lower data compared to the same period in 2019.

The following Q&A session will further address some of the discussions and questions raised in the previous article.

01

Some readers questioned the assertion that "inbound tourism data has not increased," stating that the number of foreign tourists in their cities has increased significantly, or that they have seen reports in the media that foreign tourists have increased by several hundred percent year-on-year.

A: When looking at this year's inbound tourism data, you can't just look at year-on-year figures. A surge of several hundred percent is essentially meaningless. China only officially resumed issuing visas to foreigners on March 15, 2023. Before that, it was virtually impossible for foreigners to obtain visas for tourism, resulting in an extremely low base of data. Comparing 2024 data with 2023 data will inevitably lead to the conclusion of a surge of several hundred percent, but this conclusion proves nothing.

The comparison with 2019 data is more meaningful. From January to April 2024, the number of inbound tourists to Shanghai and Beijing recovered to 68% and 66% of the same period in 2019, respectively.

 02

Secondly, some readers believe that even if the inbound tourism data for Beijing and Shanghai in the first four months was less than 70% of that in 2019, it does not mean that the inbound tourism situation is bad. The recovery of inbound tourism also takes time. In addition, given the sluggish global economic environment, a recovery to 70% this year is reasonable.

A: Everyone has their own standard for what constitutes a reasonable recovery rate. However, comparing the recovery situations in different countries can provide readers with a more comprehensive understanding.

The United States received approximately 16 million international tourists in the first quarter of 2024, about 93% of the same period in 2019. Japan received approximately 11.6 million international tourists from January to April 2024, 105.7% of the same period in 2019. South Korea received approximately 4.86 million international tourists from January to April, 89% of the same period in 2019. Vietnam received approximately 6.2 million international tourists from January to April, 104% of the same period in 2019. Thailand received approximately 14.76 million international tourists from January to May, 88% of the same period in 2019. Malaysia and Indonesia also saw their international tourist numbers in the first few months of this year exceed those of the same period in 2019. For European countries, since travel between EU member states does not require visas or border checks, international tourist statistics are more based on international flights and the accommodation industry. Many countries' data in this area were already close to or exceeded pre-pandemic levels in 2023.

Generally speaking, in the first few months of 2024, global international tourism recovery rates were generally above 90%. However, Shanghai and Beijing in China only saw recovery rates of 68% and 66%, respectively. Therefore, Zhiku Tourism's assessment that "China's inbound tourism data is not increasing" is a statement of objective fact.

03

Third, some readers may ask why inbound tourism data for other countries is based on national data, while data for China is only based on inbound tourism data from Beijing and Shanghai. This is a bit of a generalization. Why not use national inbound tourism data?

A: It's not that national data isn't used; it's that the relevant departments simply don't publish it. The countries mentioned above, and even Hong Kong and Macau in my country, publish their inbound and outbound tourism data monthly, specifying the countries and regions the tourists came from. However, my country's relevant departments are quite lagging behind in publishing inbound tourism data, with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism only publishing it once a year.

Furthermore, the National Immigration Administration publishes entry and exit passenger inspection data quarterly, but this data is not equivalent to entry and exit tourism data. Accurate statistics on inbound tourism should only include those entering the country holding tourist visas. When discussing foreign tourism to China, visitors from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan should also be excluded from entry and exit passenger counts. However, the data published by the National Immigration Administration is vague, making it difficult to truly understand the situation of inbound tourism.

In the first quarter of 2024, the National Immigration Administration recorded 13.07 million entries and exits for foreigners. Dividing this figure by 2 and then subtracting a certain percentage of those holding non-tourist visas gives a rough estimate of the number of foreign tourists visiting China in the first quarter. Even comparing this 13.07 million border inspections, it is only 60% of the figure for the same period in 2019.

Besides the data released by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the National Immigration Administration, some non-governmental organizations also publish so-called "inbound and outbound tourism reports." The data in these reports is not based on customs statistics and is therefore not very reliable. However, this data is frequently cited in the media, leading some uninformed people to be unable to accurately understand the true situation of inbound tourism.

Shanghai and Beijing are the top choices for foreigners visiting China and are popular tourist destinations. The inbound tourism data for Shanghai and Beijing, compiled by the public security departments based on accommodation declarations by foreigners in those cities, is relatively accurate. Of course, the inbound tourism data for Shanghai and Beijing inevitably includes instances of "those with business purposes holding tourist visas," but this is a common phenomenon worldwide; other countries also have business travelers among their "international tourists."

Therefore, in the absence of data on foreign tourists visiting China released by the management authorities, the data on inbound tourism reception and overnight stays of foreigners in cities such as Shanghai and Beijing are the most representative of the overall situation of inbound tourism nationwide.

04

Fourth, why are so many overseas bloggers praising China when China's inbound tourism recovery is still lagging behind the rest of the world?

A: Currently, the Chinese people's national and cultural confidence is growing day by day, which is undoubtedly a good thing. However, no matter how confident one is, one cannot deviate from basic facts; confidence that deviates from basic facts is arrogance and conceit.

Regarding inbound tourism, it is a basic fact that China's inbound tourism (excluding data on travel between Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan to the mainland) is not leading internationally. There are many reasons for this, one of which is that the country did not previously attach great importance to inbound tourism. China is not a tourism-oriented country internationally, nor does it need to rely on international tourism and tourism foreign exchange to develop its economy.

Since the second half of 2023, the country has elevated inbound tourism to a new level, hoping to expand "people-to-people diplomacy" through tourism, reverse the smear campaigns against China by Western media and politicians, and allow people from all over the world to personally experience a prosperous, beautiful, and vibrant China. This aims to thwart the Western camp's attempts to "decouple" from and decouple China from the global industrial chain.

Today, foreign bloggers are praising Chinese tourism, proving that the country's efforts in this area have yielded remarkable results, and the overall situation is developing in the direction the country hopes for.

Therefore, as ordinary citizens, we shouldn't be overly concerned about the less-than-ideal recovery of inbound tourism to China. What's important is to maintain confidence in future trends and treat foreign tourists well, providing necessary care and convenience for their independent travel. For example, giving foreigners preferential treatment in ticket reservations at popular scenic spots is not "discrimination" nor is it related to nationalistic sentiments; it's simply a way of welcoming and showing friendliness to guests who have traveled from afar.