China is seeing a surge in inbound tourism during the ongoing National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, with increasing numbers of international travelers drawn to the country's unique blend of natural scenery and traditional culture.
This year, China's National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday runs from Oct 1 to 8. According to the National Immigration Administration (NIA), China is expected to record a daily average of 2 million border crossings during the holiday.
In southwest China's Sichuan Province, the Giant Buddha of Leshan, known as the world's largest stone Buddha statue, wow visitors from home and abroad.
Data from the scenic spot show that the number of foreign tourists has more than tripled compared with the same period in previous years.
"It's very beautiful, very big. We've seen it from the boat. It's amazing, and now we want to go to see it very closer," said a visitor from Italy.
In central China's Hunan Province, the famous glass bridge at the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon has virtually become a must-see for many international tourists.
"So we believe that the scenery is absolutely breathtaking, and the whole place here is just amazing. The views are great," said a visitor from Poland.
In the northwestern Chinese city of Xi'an, some international visitors adorn themselves in traditional Chinese attire to enjoy the nighttime view of the ancient city.
Meanwhile, in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture of southwest China's Yunnan Province, visitors from ASEAN countries are attracted to unique local folk culture.
"It is the first time for us to visit Xishuangbanna, and it is also the first time for us to learn about the ethnic Dai and Hani minority groups. Their cultures are very unique, and we want to explore more," said a visitor from Malaysia.
Experts said China's inbound tourism is gaining strong momentum thanks to a host of policy measures aimed at facilitating visas, payments and tax refund for overseas visitors.
Data from the NIA show that tourists from 76 other countries now enjoy unilateral or mutual visa-free entry, with transit exemptions expanded to 55 other countries. International travelers may now enter China through any of the 60 ports and stay for up to 240 hours.
China also optimized payments for international visitors and expanded departure tax refund measures. By the end of August, the number of tax refund stores catering to foreign visitors in China had exceeded 10,000.
According to NIA, China recorded 15.89 million visa-free entries by foreign nationals from January to August 2025, up 52.1 percent year on year.
"We are promoting a shift in inbound tourism from the general sightseeing to in-depth explorations, encouraging a shift from one-off visit to multiple-time traveling," said Liu Ting, public affairs manager of Trip.com, a Chinese travel platform.
China sees inbound tourism surge during National Day Holiday
