China has welcomed an increasing number of foreign tourists this summer, with its rich cultural offerings and tourist-friendly visa policies proving to be a big draw.
In the first half of 2026, more than 22 million foreign nationals entered China, up 20.4 percent year on year, with about three-quarters of them benefiting from visa-free policies.
The surge comes as China expands its visa-free policy, offers easy payment options for visitors and provides instant duty-free refunds at departure.
Historic landmarks in Beijing are especially popular with foreign visitors, with some sharing their impressions of China's history and modern life.
"It's my second time. The first time I traveled to Shanghai, Nanjing, and Suzhou,” said Valeria De Benedettis, an Italian tourist.
"I'm glad that I have been able to see places that have thousands and thousand years of history. I also try to fit into society and maybe try to watch some videos on WeChat and Alipay to see some cultural changes between Italy and China,” said Niccolo Begra, another Italian tourist.
Spanish tourists also shared what caught their attention during their stay in China.
"We've seen people in the parks doing Taichi dancing as well, and they also do Karaoke in the park in the evening, and we love it,” said Miquel Miravet, a Spanish tourist.
"Using mobile payments - I wasn't used to it in Spain. Now I'm a master,” said Sergio, another Spanish tourist.
Another tourist also found that shopping for cultural products in China added a new dimension to her travel experience.
"We got fans, umbrellas, different umbrellas with designs, and magnets. We saw yesterday in another mall like they had these traditional clothes, but in a modern style, they were really beautiful,” said Valentina, an Italian tourist.
Some of the visitors in Beijing also have plans to fly to south China's Guangdong Province to watch the Chinese romantic film "Dear You" and visit locations where the movie was shot.
Based on the tradition of "qiaopi," which refers to letters and remittances sent home by earlier generations of overseas Chinese in the 19th and 20th centuries, the film has been a hit since its release back in late April, with global box office revenues surpassing 2.1 billion yuan.
China sees rise in foreign tourists amid cultural, policies appeal
