Outbound tourism market expands

China's outbound tourism market is entering a new phase of growth, with rising demand from smaller cities and greater interest in personalized experiences reshaping travel choices, industry experts said at a travel expo in Beijing.

Outbound tourist trips are projected to exceed 165 million this year, surpassing the 2019 level, said Liu Xiangyan, director of the International Research Institute at the China Tourism Academy, at the ongoing 2026 China Outbound & Inbound Travel Market.

"The market is back, but it cannot go back to 2019," Liu said, referring to changes in the customer base, destinations and spending priorities.

Chinese travelers are showing greater interest in destinations in Africa, Central Asia and South America, with their interests increasingly determining where they go, with food experiences, museum exhibitions and sporting events becoming reasons to choose a destination, she said.

Travel agencies are responding with customized itineraries and smaller groups. Beijing-based travel operator Utour Group is developing photography, skiing and diving tours and offering private groups of two to six people, said Ning Guoxin, its chief government affairs officer at the expo. The company is also strengthening local services and assistance throughout the journey.

Russia brought the expo's largest overseas delegation, with more than 30 suppliers, offering gastronomy and cultural packages tailored to Chinese visitors.

China's inbound sector is seeing a parallel boom, buoyed by the country's expanding visa facilitation measures, including unilateral visa-free access for 50 countries and a 240-hour visa-free transit policy covering 57 countries.

During the recent National Day holiday, foreign nationals made 505,000 visa-free entries, up 9.2 percent year-on-year and accounting for nearly three quarters of foreign entries, according to the National Immigration Administration.

Liu said destinations increasingly compete on the ease of making a trip as well as their attractions. Convenient flights, visa procedures, payments and Chinese-language services are becoming more important alongside distinctive experiences.