China Tourism Update — 18 June 2026
tourism • 18 June 2026
China’s tourism market is continuing to expand quickly, with visa waivers, stronger transport links and rising domestic travel all helping to boost demand. For Australian travellers, the most useful takeaway is that China is becoming easier to visit and there are more flight, rail and destination options to choose from. [1] According to *China Travel News* and other recent coverage, China’s travel sector was valued at about US$1.8 trillion last year and could reach US$3.5 trillion by 2036, while international visitor arrivals rose 15.5 per cent year on year to more than 68 million. Spending by overseas visitors also increased 10.5 per cent to US$135 billion, showing that inbound tourism is strengthening alongside domestic travel. [1] The biggest practical driver for tourists is the expanded visa-free policy, which now covers citizens of over 50 countries, alongside an enlarged transport network that is making it easier to move between major cities and scenic regions. For travellers planning a trip, this means it is worth checking whether your itinerary can take advantage of visa-free entry, and monitoring route additions, since connectivity is improving quickly across China. [1]Sources
- https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3357302/high-speed-and-visa-free-how-china-cruising-become-worlds-top-tourism-market
- https://amp.dw.com/en/china-travel-boom-between-growth-control-and-crisis/video-77525303
- https://www.facebook.com/scmp/posts/chinas-travel-sector-valued-at-us18-trillion-last-year-could-reach-us35-trillion/1406302611545787/
- https://www.travelpress.com/china-poised-to-become-leading-travel-and-tourism-economy/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tw1lBqIibZk