China is on track to overtake the US as the world’s leading tourism market, with more than 68 million people visiting the country last year.
The shift is said to be down to long-term infrastructure investment, according to a new report by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).
Key changes include expanding visa-free stays of up to 30 days for more than 50 countries, investing in air and rail, and rolling out biometric borders – all of which have allowed more international tourists to visit, the report said.
In 2025, China experienced a 15.5 per cent tourism increase on the previous year, while visitor spending also rose by 10.5 per cent to $135bn – an increase on pre-pandemic numbers.
In contrast, the US saw a 5.5 per cent year-on-year decline in international visitors in the same year, to 68.3 million.
This significant recovery is down to a targeted approach from the Government of China, which identified travel and tourism as a key pillar for economic growth. A mix of progressive policy reforms and technological innovations has driven the results and pushed China to become a leading tourism market.
The impact report added: “China is emerging not only as the standout performer in Asia-Pacific, but also as a leader for how to coordinated policy, innovation, and long-term investment in infrastructure can drive high-impact tourism growth at scale.”
It noted large-scale development of new tourism zones, cultural attractions and theme parks as “diversifying China’s tourism offering and reinforcing its global competitiveness, underscoring the sector’s growing role as a driver of economic diversification, regional development, and job creation.”
The country’s spending is set to increase by 22.5 per cent to nearly $280bn in 2026, said the WTTC.
The research was produced in partnership with Oxford Economics to forecast travel and tourism trends for 2026. “China’s recovery shows how targeted policy reforms can translate directly into stronger inbound demand and sustained growth,” said Gloria Guevara, president and CEO of WTTC.
“Continued progress in visa facilitation will be essential to sustaining this momentum. This approach, over time, could position China to become the world’s leading Travel & Tourism if they continue with this path.”
