Inbound tourism to the Chinese mainland is experiencing a significant boost, thanks to innovative payment services that make traveling easier for international visitors. During the 2025 Spring Festival, tourists from around the world immersed themselves in the festive atmosphere, particularly drawn to intangible cultural heritage-themed experiences.
According to data from the National Immigration Administration, there were 14.37 million cross-border movements during this year’s Spring Festival, marking a 6.3% increase compared to the same period last year. The surge is attributed to the Chinese mainland’s commitment to meeting the diverse payment needs of foreign visitors.
From QR code scanning and tap-to-pay to card-code integration and convenient cash withdrawals, payment methods have become more accessible. On March 1, at the launch ceremony for a payment service demonstration zone along Beijing’s Central Axis, Sun Shuo, deputy mayor of Beijing, highlighted the city’s pioneering role in rolling out these financial innovations.
“Beijing has become the first city in the Chinese mainland to integrate foreign card payments into its metro system,” Sun announced. “So far, more than 116 countries’ bank cards are accepted for seamless travel, and over 42,000 BEIJING PASS cards have been issued to foreign visitors.”
In July 2024, the Beijing Central Axis—a 7.8-kilometer-long north-south line home to 15 UNESCO-listed cultural heritage sites—was officially added to the World Heritage List. Oliver Jenkyn, Visa’s group president of Global Markets, praised the advancements.
“Following the launch of tap-to-ride payment services for Beijing’s metro system, the Visa-UnionPay Zone along the Central Axis represents another milestone in enhancing inbound payment accessibility,” Jenkyn said. “We believe such initiatives will support Beijing’s transformation into an international consumption hub and the top destination for inbound tourism in the Chinese mainland.”
In September 2024, Visa introduced foreign card tap-to-ride services in the Beijing Metro, allowing travelers from over 100 countries to use their Visa cards seamlessly for public transportation. Recently, China’s e-payment giant Alipay and American Express announced a new partnership, enabling eligible American Express cardholders worldwide to link their cards to Alipay for payments within the Chinese mainland.
Now, both Alipay and WeChat Pay—the country’s two dominant mobile payment platforms—provide linking services for foreign bank cards from seven major international banks, achieving full coverage for global mainstream bank cards. According to Alipay data, during the Asian Winter Games in the first week of February 2025, inbound visitors’ spending via Alipay in Harbin surged nearly fivefold compared to the same period last year.
The enhanced payment services and increased convenience are the results of comprehensive efforts by the country. The People’s Bank of China has stated it will continue to refine a multi-tiered and diversified payment service system to better meet the varied payment needs of the elderly and foreign visitors.
