Outbound tourism to goodwill economy

Nation's soft power gets boost from millions of mainland travelers chasing life-enhancing experiences overseas

A vibrant economy boosts tourism, strengthens soft power - that zip file-like aphorism, when uncompressed, would unfold a fascinating story of a delicately interlinked travel ecosystem involving China and the rest of the world.

Newly affluent, upwardly mobile Chinese in the mainland are spending big money on their outbound travels for enhanced life experiences. More and more countries are realizing Chinese tourists are good for their local economies. According to a June report from the China Tourism Academy, Chinese outbound travelers spent more than $115 billion outside the mainland, 5 percent more than in 2016.