ITB China 2025 kicked off on May 27 in Shanghai, marking a vibrant resurgence of the Chinese mainland’s tourism sector. The three-day event opened on an unprecedented scale, featuring over 700 exhibitors from 85 countries.
This year, European exhibitors increased their participation by 35% compared to last year, while South American representation surged by an impressive 99%. Exhibitors from the Middle East and North Africa grew by 23%, and Asian participation expanded by 47%. Newcomers like Colombia and Mexico City, alongside enthusiastic participants from countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, highlight the Chinese mainland’s growing appeal to international tourism businesses and travelers.
China’s inbound tourism is experiencing a remarkable revival. According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, 131.9 million inbound tourists visited in 2024, a 61% year-on-year increase, restoring visitor numbers to over 90% of 2019 levels. Foreign tourists accounted for 26.94 million of these visitors, spending $94.2 billion, up sharply by 77.8%.
"China travel" emerged as a prominent international keyword online in 2024, reflecting the surging global interest in the Chinese mainland. During the 2025 Spring Festival period, ticket sales from international platforms for traditional Chinese cultural festivities like lantern shows and temple fairs rose dramatically, increasing by 7.5 times. These trends underscore the rich and unique cultural heritage of the Chinese mainland as a key attraction for global visitors.
Several factors drive this flourishing inbound tourism. Foremost among these are policy innovations that enhance accessibility. Visa facilitation measures now offer visa-free entry to travelers from 43 countries and 240-hour transit visa exemptions to visitors from 54 nations. The shopping tax refund policy has been refined with an "instant tax refund upon purchase" scheme, lowering the refund threshold to 200 RMB ($27.7), significantly boosting visitor spending.
Additionally, major digital payment platforms like Alipay and WeChat Pay have opened their services to overseas visitors, resolving previous payment difficulties. These sustained policy innovations have improved convenience and satisfaction for international visitors.
International exhibitions and promotional activities play a pivotal role in revitalizing inbound tourism. ITB China 2025 is matching international buyers and domestic suppliers through its intelligent "Match & Meet" system, facilitating pre-arranged negotiations and enhancing cooperation efficiency. Industry whitepapers, specialized forums, and seminars at ITB China keep exhibitors abreast of global market trends.
Government-supported promotions and official endorsements provide a credible channel for international enterprises to understand China’s tourism market dynamics. Networking events and targeted promotional activities translate discussions into concrete business outcomes, boosting sustainable growth of cross-border tourism.
As China’s cultural tourism sector continues to upgrade and consumer spending rises, the country’s strategic role in the global tourism landscape is poised to strengthen. This development effectively drives the new "dual circulation" development model, integrating both domestic and international markets.
From the domestic perspective, the inbound tourism revival is transforming and upgrading various linked industries, from hospitality and food services to transportation and digital tourism technologies. This ripple effect unlocks domestic consumption potential, optimizes the consumption structure, and bolsters economic resilience.
Internationally, as China’s cultural tourism offerings advance in quality and sophistication, an increasing array of unique cultural tourism products and intangible cultural heritage projects are making their way onto the global stage. These distinctive resources not only broaden China’s reach into international tourism markets but also boost the global competitiveness and appeal of Chinese tourism brands, enhancing the nation’s cultural soft power.
Ultimately, cultural tourism has become a critical bridge fostering international understanding and cultural exchange, as well as a significant platform for global economic cooperation. An increasingly open and globally attractive Chinese tourism market will continue injecting strong momentum into the worldwide economic recovery and contribute to mutual understanding and collective prosperity among all nations.
