China Destination Tourism Trends Insight by Type, Source Markets, Foreign Direct Investment and Future Opportunities, 2023 Update

China Destination Tourism Market Overview

The total number of international arrivals in China amounted to 3.7 million in 2022. Domestic travel dominates China’s tourist income. Furthermore, the tremendous economic expansion over the last 40 years has encouraged the development of inbound tourism through quick and much-needed improvements in infrastructure.

Tourism has undeniably emerged as a pivotal contributor to the Chinese economy, assuming a position as the nation’s foremost service export. Infrastructure has played a very important role in tourism development. Megastructures such as the high-speed rail connection and several international airports have connected cities on a national and worldwide scale. Various international hotel and resort companies like Hilton, Accor, etc. are undertaking new and large-scale investments in China.

The China Destination Tourism Trends Insight report provides an in-depth analysis of a tourist destination and its key source markets, as well as an assessment of the trends and issues in the covered destination market, in this case, China.

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China Destination Tourism Market Trends

The key trends influencing the China destination tourism market are inbound tourism trends and tourist spending trends.

Inbound Tourism – China’s tourism sector has experienced a significant shift in recent years, with an increasing number of couples taking the lead. Though group travelers had always been the dominant force, post-2019, couple travelers have emerged as the dominant force, constituting a third of all inbound visitors to the country. In addition, China boasts a considerable range of budget-friendly accommodations as well as luxury stays, rendering it an enticing destination for travelers both on a budget and who want to splurge. China is also extremely infrastructurally advanced with the world’s largest bullet train network. This makes China an ideal destination for people who want to see more of the country in a single tour and can cover more of the country without having to spend too much.

Tourist Spending – The total inbound expenditure in China for 2022 is one of the highest in Asia Pacific. The large size of China contributes to transportation being the highest expense segment. This is due to many international tourists using flights to get into the country, which can be expensive, especially during peak seasons such as summertime. In addition, there has been large-scale investment in airports, as well as high-speed railways, making the country more accessible.  Fuel prices were far more volatile throughout 2022 than they were in the past years; this could also explain the increase in transportation costs.

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China Destination Tourism Types

Some of the most common destination tourism types include sun and beach, visiting friends or family, city break, cultural, adventure/sport, gastronomical, multi-stop trip, cruise, religious, wedding related and wellness/medical among others. The sun and beach holidays are the most preferred holiday type as China is a prime spot for sun and beach vacations. This in turn makes it an ideal vacation spot for travelers seeking multi-stop trips.

China is also a popular destination for VFR flights. With an increasing immigrant population, it allows an opportunity for visitors to connect with their friends and relatives while also exploring the country. China sets itself apart from numerous other destinations by presenting a unique and captivating selling point. Due to its expansive size, and well-connected infrastructure, the country has garnered significant popularity among multi-stop vacationers who are in search of a diverse range of experiences.

China Destination Tourism Market Analysis by Tourism Types

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China Destination Attractions

Some of the top destination attractions in China are:

• Great Wall of China
• The Bund
• Forbidden City
• The Terracotta Army, Xi’an
• Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
• Leshan Giant Buddha

Great Wall of China: China’s most famous landmark and one of the seven wonders of the world, is an iconic symbol of ancient defensive architecture. It stretches 6000 km from Shanhaiguan in the east to Jiayuguan in the west passing through Hebei, Beijing, and Tientsin. The Mutianyu section is easier to climb and suitable for even elderlies and children. ^[25]

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Scope

This report is part of GlobalData’s Destination Market Insights Series. These reports provide an in-depth analysis of a tourist destination and its key source markets, as well as an assessment of the trends and issues in the covered destination market, in this case, China.

Key Highlights

• Domestic travel dominates China’s tourist income. Inbound tourism increased between 2009 and 2019 (i.e., pre-pandemic). China is seen as a growing destination market hub that is anticipated to many tourists by 2027.
• According to the analysis conducted by GlobalData, it is projected that group travel will experience significant growth from the year 2022 to 2027. Couples’ travel is projected to experience a significant growth rate, ranking second-highest among all four sections.
• In 2019 as well as 2022, Hong Kong was the top source market for China. On average, travelers from Hong Kong are one of the highest spenders in terms of average spend per day on an international trip, ranking in the top 10 globally according to GlobalData’s Traveler Spending Patterns database.
• The resurgence of inbound business travel is anticipated, with growth numbers being visible as soon as 2023. It is forecasted to reach the pre-pandemic level by 2024 itself, once again making it the largest contributor of all inbound tourists to China.

Reasons to Buy

• Obtain a clear and detailed insight into new developments in two popular tourist destinations.
• Use data and analysis to explore trends related to international arrivals and spending, tourism segments as well as construction, foreign direct investments (FDI), airlines, and hotel developments.
• Gain a better understanding of the opportunities in the market, as well as the risks, to support better business decisions.