China attracts international visitors beyond visa exemptions as it advances cultural-tourism integration

China is intensifying the integration of culture and tourism, supported by expanded visa facilitation, streamlined border procedures and measures to boost visitor spending. In the first quarter of 2026, China processed 185 million entry-exit checks, welcoming 21.33 million international visitors. Visa-free entries reached 8.32 million, up 29.3% year-on-year.

Visa facilitation and faster entry procedures

At Ha Men, simplified customs procedures have shortened processing times. An Australian traveler said online pre-declaration is available and that airport procedures can be completed quickly, adding that China has opened up and become more welcoming.

Separately, Hainan, a free-trade port, expanded its visa-free policy to 86 countries. A border-control official said international visitor traffic has risen significantly since the island-wide special customs regime was introduced. Russia, Malaysia, Indonesia and Kazakhstan are among the main source markets.

Russian travel surge after visa-free expansion

Six months after China began a 30-day visa-free policy for Russian citizens, cross-border travel surged. According to CCTV News data, from September 15, 2025 to mid-March 2026, about 232,000 Russian nationals entered via the province’s border crossings, up 61.2% year-on-year. Last year, China welcomed roughly 2.5 million Russian visitors.

Beyond border crossings, many Russian travelers continued to move deeper into the interior, including cities such as Harbin, as well as coastal destinations including Dalian and Qingdao. Local governments have upgraded Russian-language signage, improved payment methods and expanded services to meet travelers’ needs.

Measures to stimulate tourism spending

In March, China introduced additional steps to stimulate tourism spending, including completing transit visa exemptions and upgrading tax-refund services on departure. Authorities are also intensifying efforts to improve payment methods and provide multilingual services at key destinations.

Policy direction: culture-tourism integration

Strategically, China is pushing for a stronger integration of culture and tourism. The 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030) includes the goal of turning China into a “tourism power,” emphasizing high-quality products and deeper cultural value.

Experts said deeper integration can create differentiated tourism products, support innovation and help diffuse cultural values—serving as a dual engine that improves visitor experiences while providing a foundation for long-term tourism growth.

Culturally immersive parks and rising demand

Ancient-themed parks are emerging as a key draw. In Kaifeng, Henan Province, Millennium City Park offers live performances, artist interactions and a currency-like credit system for food, boat rides and merchandise, recreating the Song Dynasty capital’s atmosphere. The park hosts over 200 performances daily and more than 20 experiential programs, with up to 1,000 activities on holidays. In 2025, it drew over 11 million visitors and generated RMB 1.2 billion in revenue, up about 37% and 20% respectively from the prior year.

The trend is spreading to other historic cities such as Xi’an, Hangzhou and Nanjing. Data from travel platform Qunar shows that since early 2026, bookings for Chinese cultural-theme parks have doubled, indicating sustained appeal beyond holidays into weekends.

Turning visitor flows into consumption in Guangxi

In Guangxi, local authorities are aiming to convert tourist flows into revenue through coordinated measures to boost consumption. Since February 1, Nanning—the provincial capital—has adopted mutual recognition of the “buy now, refund on departure” tax-refund service with 16 major provinces, including Beijing and Tianjin. Foreign shoppers at major malls such as MixC in Nanning and Nanning Department Store can complete tax refunds quickly.

Guangxi has also launched tax-refund consumption initiatives across China and is focusing on building commercial zones linked to tax-refund services in key tourist cities including Nanning and Guilin. To support travelers, local authorities published the “Guangxi Departure Tax Refund Guide” and the “Guangxi Tax-Refund Consumption Map” in seven languages: English, Thai, Vietnamese, Lao, Cambodian, Burmese and Indonesian.

Expert view: multi-sensory experiences and technology

Experts said that beyond upgrading transport infrastructure and expanding visa policies, tourism products must integrate traditional cultural values with modern technology to create multi-sensory experiences. They noted this approach can renew interest in cultural symbols and help increase visitor engagement, length of stay and spending.

Pet-friendly travel is also shaping the tourism and transport sectors.