China witnessed in the first half of 2023 a surge in international visitors, with tourists taking advantage of the country’s visa-free policies and diverse payment options, including the acceptance of foreign bank cards.
According to data from China Central Television (CCTV), approximately 14.64 million foreign nationals entered China through various ports during the first six months of the year, marking a 152.7 percent increase compared to the same period the previous year. Of these arrivals, over 8.54 million entered visa-free, accounting for 52 percent of the total and representing a 190.1 percent rise from last year.
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One of the most popular tourist destinations was Xi’an, the provincial capital of northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, which welcomed more than 190,000 foreign tourists between January and June.
Addressing payment challenges
With the influx of visitors from around the world, China has worked to address the challenges they face due to differences in payment systems. According to mobile payment giant Alipay, the amount of money paid by inbound tourists using the app rose eightfold year-on-year in the first half of 2023. Additionally, the number of Chinese merchants using Alipay to conduct business with international tourists tripled compared to the same period last year.
Read more: $1.3 trillion to lift China’s tourism sector as domestic travelers flock back
China reclaims top spender on international tourism
These trends align with a report released last month by the United Nations tourism agency (U.N. Tourism), which showed that China reclaimed its position as the world’s top spender on international tourism in 2023. This reflects the continued recovery of the Asia and Pacific (APAC) region from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chinese expenditure on travel abroad reached $196.5 billion in 2023, surpassing the United States ($150 billion), Germany ($112 billion), the United Kingdom ($110 billion), and France ($49 billion). The top 10 spenders also included Canada, Italy, India, Russia, and South Korea. Notably, India jumped from 14th place in 2019 to 8th, underscoring its growing importance as a source market, while Italy rose from 10th to 7th position.
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