With more robust policies implemented, "China travel" continues to gain momentum. The number of foreign visitors to China has surged dramatically in recent months. Meanwhile, Chinese tourists are also traveling abroad more. This not only injects a strong impetus into the global economic development, but also enhances cultural exchanges and people-to-people connectivity.

According to a report released by online travel platform Trip.com, the outbound and inbound tourism saw robust growth during the 2025 Spring Festival holiday. Overall orders for cross-boundary tours increased by 30 percent year on year. The orders for inbound tour tickets surged by 180 percent. Among the top destinations appealing to international tourists are major cities such as Shenzhen, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Beijing.

The 2025 Spring Festival is the first "Intangible Cultural Heritage Spring Festival" following its UNESCO recognition. Foreign tourists will experience the unique charm of the Chinese culture with more folk activities held across the country. Therefore, second and third tier cities, which are rich in intangible cultural heritage activities, like Shijiazhuang and Fuzhou have also gained popularity, the report said.

As more foreign tourists visit China and Chinese tourists explore the world, the mutual desire for cultural exchange and exploration is stronger than ever, according to Travel and Tour World (TTW).

So far, China has established comprehensive mutual visa exemptions with 25 countries, implemented unilateral visa-free policies for 38 countries, and transit visa-free policies for 54 countries. These policies represent a clear message of openness, inclusivity, and international cooperation, TTW said.

According to the data released by the National Immigration Administration of China, 20.1 million foreign travelers gained visa-free entry in 2024, surging by 112.3 percent from the previous year.

At the same time, more countries are introducing measures to attract Chinese visitors. For example, Japan has introduced a new multiple-entry visa valid for 10 years for Chinese nationals visiting individually for tourism.

The thriving inbound and outbound tourism, on the one hand, brings remarkable benefits to tourism industries of various countries and regions by driving the development of related industries such as transportation, accommodation, and catering, thus promoting economic growth.

On the other hand, the deeper significance of tourism lies in building a bridge for people from different countries to interact with each other. Foreign tourists coming to China or Chinese tourists traveling abroad can learn about the local people's lives, customs, values, and ways of behavior during their trips. Through people-to-people exchanges such as tourism, people around the world can enhance their understanding of others and build friendships.