China's inbound tourism surges on visa-free policies, word-of-mouth recommendation, ETOA chief says

China

China's inbound tourism surges on visa-free policies, word-of-mouth recommendation, ETOA chief says

2026-11-15 17:26 Last Updated At：21:49

China's tourism sector is seeing a surge in inbound travel, propelled by good service, the influence of trusted word-of-mouth recommendations, and relaxed visa policies, according to Tom Jenkins, CEO of the European Tourism Association (ETOA).

Speaking of the surge in international interest, Jenkins emphasized that China's appeal is built on solid service fundamentals.

"I think there is no doubt that China is becoming a destination and a really important destination. The good news is it's got very, very good foundations for becoming a very popular destination, simply because your service economy is so good, the services that you provide visitors is good, and it is also economically competitive. Prices are reasonable, particularly if you're used to London or other areas in Europe," said Jenkins.

That momentum has been further amplified by peer-to-peer recommendations and digital engagement, reflected in viral online trends such as "China Haul", "China Cool", and "China Travel".

"I think what people underestimate is the power of personal recommendation. If a friend turns around to you and says 'I've been here, it was great, you must go', you'll actually take it very seriously. You take it more seriously than almost anybody else. What social media has been enabled to happen is that friends can have a very, very, very wide reach. And you can start seeing what other people are doing and they're filming what they're doing, so the impact is even more impressive," said Jenkins.

The tourism momentum is further supported by policy measures, including visa-free entry for multiple nations, the rollout of 240-hour visa-free transit policies, and optimized tax-refund services.

"[Visa-free policy] makes it look welcoming in a way which visas don't. For a UK visa, I don't want to exaggerate this, but it is a substantial break on demand that you have to sit down and fill out quite a lengthy form and go and have your fingerprint taken. It's not a straightforward process and it's not cheap either," said Jenkins.

APEC Ambassadors, CEOs Roundtable held in Shenzhen

The APEC Ambassadors and CEOs Roundtable, hosted by China Media Group (CMG), was held Sunday in APEC host city Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, where guests held in-depth discussions on topics including high-level opening-up and AI development.

The event was the first CMG-hosted event during the 2026 APEC Economic Leaders' Week, which runs from Nov 14 to 19.

Themed "Sharing Opportunities through Openness, Achieving Mutual Benefits and Win-Win Results," the roundtable brought together about 80 participants, including ambassadors and diplomatic envoys to China from some APEC member economies, representatives of domestic and foreign businesses, and heads of foreign chambers of commerce.

The ambassadors said they were impressed by China's openness, inclusiveness and innovation, and would deepen cooperation with China to share development opportunities.

Guests noted that the roundtable provided a platform for dialogue between APEC member economies and businesses, and called on all parties to work together to inject greater stability and positive energy into regional prosperity.