China expands its appeal to global business travelers

Beyond convention halls, China offers new experiences, from cultural attractions and technology tours to cross-border business partnerships, as it seeks to attract more international meetings and incentive travel.

For international business travelers, a trip to China is no longer just about attending conferences or visiting factories. Increasingly, it is also an opportunity to explore the country's rich cultural heritage, experience its technological innovations and establish connections with one of the world's largest economies and consumer markets.

"International groups are not only interested in seeing a destination. They also want to understand how its businesses innovate, develop products and achieve growth," Bautista Vera Feld of WildChina, a company specializing in customized travel and corporate experiences, told China Daily.

"A well-designed company visit can turn that curiosity into a concrete exchange," he added.

That growing interest comes as China seeks to strengthen its position in the global meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) industry, a market in which Europe and North America have long maintained influential professional networks and established convention destinations.

While Europe's international trade fairs have a history stretching back centuries, and the United States began developing specialized convention promotion organizations in the late 19th century, China's modern exhibition industry expanded rapidly following reform and opening-up in 1978.

The transformation has been substantial. According to the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry's 2026 World Map of Exhibition Venues report, China accounted for 30.7 percent of the world's gross indoor exhibition venue capacity at the end of 2025, compared with 13.9 percent for the United States and 7.0 percent for Germany.

Yet exhibition space tells only part of the story. The US and European countries continue to hold leading positions in attracting international association conferences, supported by established professional networks, event management services and long-standing relationships with international organizations.

For China, the next stage of development is not simply about constructing larger venues, but attracting more international participants and offering experiences that distinguish it from traditional meeting destinations.

At IMEX America 2026 from Oct 13 to 15, industry professionals told China Daily that easier visa access, improved transportation and growing international interest in China's technology sector are opening new opportunities for corporate meetings, incentive travel and professional exchanges.

"The infrastructure has improved dramatically over the last 30 years," said Alex Mortensen, Los Angeles-based sales director for HiSEAS International Tourism Group, citing China's high-speed rail network and expanding accommodation options.

Mortensen, whose company is headquartered in Chengdu, said cities such as Chengdu, Chongqing and Changsha are becoming increasingly attractive for international corporate events, offering modern facilities and opportunities for technology-related business exchanges.

Having traveled to China frequently over three decades, he said a recent family visit to Chengdu and Chongqing reinforced his enthusiasm for the country's tourism offerings.

China's efforts to attract international visitors have also been supported by expanded visa-free arrangements.

According to the National Immigration Administration, foreign nationals made 22.91 million inbound trips to China in the first half of 2026, up 20.4 percent year-on-year. Of those, 17.82 million were visa-free entries, an increase of 30.6 percent.

China has expanded visa-free entry arrangements for eligible travelers from countries including Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Brazil and Argentina, facilitating short-term visits for business and tourism. Eligible travelers from 57 countries, including the US, may also use China's 240-hour visa-free transit policy, provided they meet requirements for onward travel to a third country or region through designated entry ports.

For event organizers coordinating travel for international delegates, simpler entry procedures can reduce logistical difficulties and make China more competitive as a destination for business gatherings.

Linda Wang, director at Asia Concierge, a destination management company specializing in customized travel and corporate experiences, said the easing of entry requirements has contributed to increased business from overseas clients.

"We've seen a big increase in business," she said, referring particularly to travelers from Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

Wang also identified safety, competitive hospitality prices and the diversity of China's destinations as important advantages in attracting international incentive groups.

"Value for money is a big strength of China," she said.

She pointed to international luxury hotel brands including Peninsula, Mandarin Oriental, Capella and Aman, as well as boutique properties in western and northwestern China, as examples of the accommodation choices available to high-end travelers.

Wang said some luxury hotels in Beijing and Shanghai can be considerably less expensive than comparable properties in New York, although rates vary by location, season and property.

"Not many countries or destinations can compare with the variety of experiences we can offer," she said.

Technology adds a new dimension

Beyond traditional sightseeing, China's technological development is becoming an attraction for international corporate groups seeking firsthand exposure to emerging industries.

Wang said overseas clients are increasingly interested in visiting Hangzhou and Shenzhen, where they can learn about artificial intelligence, robotics and other technologies.

"They're interested in robotic experiences, smart restaurants, smart hotels," she said.

She cited hotels using service robots, restaurants experimenting with robotic chefs and technology-driven retail experiences as examples of activities that can be incorporated into corporate travel programs.

Such visits can give participants an opportunity to observe how emerging technologies are being applied in daily life, while combining business learning with leisure travel.

Feld of WildChina said international groups are also increasingly interested in visiting Chinese companies, factories, laboratories and innovation centers to understand the country's industrial development.

"The most significant evolution is that China's MICE offering is becoming more comprehensive: it is not simply about building impressive venues, but about bringing together the facilities, services and experiences that make an international event successful," he said.

Feld cited Beijing as an example, pointing to developments such as the second phase of the China National Convention Center and the Capital International Exhibition and Convention Center, supported by the city's airports, hotels and cultural attractions.

He said improvements in visitor services, including transportation assistance, communications, currency exchange and multilingual information, are also important to organizers managing large international groups.

"These may seem like small details, but for a planner managing hundreds of delegates, they make a difference," he said.

WildChina works with clients from the United States, Europe and emerging markets, including Latin America. Feld said its US clients have included consulting firms and executive groups interested in combining business exchanges with cultural experiences.

While corporate travel remains concentrated in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou, he said demand for more adventurous itineraries is also expanding to destinations such as Gansu, Xinjiang and Sichuan.

He believes China's combination of contemporary business development and cultural diversity gives it opportunities to compete with established meeting destinations in the US and Europe.

"China does not need to replicate Silicon Valley or established European destinations," Feld said. "Its opportunity is to offer a distinctive perspective that complements what international executives may already know."

But he cautioned that growing curiosity alone is not enough to secure international bookings.

Organizers need clear information about what a company visit will involve, which facilities participants can access and what they can expect to learn.

"Curiosity opens the door, but clarity and delivery secure the booking," he said.