{"id":124276,"date":"2025-11-06T18:03:03","date_gmt":"2025-11-06T18:03:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/index.php\/2025\/11\/06\/chinas-growing-role-in-tourism-hailed-at-world-travel-market\/"},"modified":"2025-11-06T18:03:03","modified_gmt":"2025-11-06T18:03:03","slug":"chinas-growing-role-in-tourism-hailed-at-world-travel-market","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/chinas-growing-role-in-tourism-hailed-at-world-travel-market\/","title":{"rendered":"China\u2019s growing role in tourism hailed at World Travel Market"},"content":{"rendered":"

BEIJING, China, Nov 6 \u2014 The China Pavilion drew widespread attention as it opened at the 2025 World Travel Market, or WTM, in London on Tuesday.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Held at ExCeL London in the United Kingdom\u2019s capital, the annual event is one of the world\u2019s largest and most influential tourism trade fairs, bringing together more than 5,000 exhibitors from over 180 countries and regions.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s China Pavilion features its strongest lineup to date, with around 200 participants representing cultural and tourism authorities from 13 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions, together with 56 outstanding tourism enterprises showcased collectively.<\/p>\n

Wang Qi, minister of Chinese embassy in the UK, highlighted the nation\u2019s growing role in global tourism, saying it has the world\u2019s largest domestic tourism market and is both a major source of outbound travelers and an increasingly attractive destination for international visitors.<\/p>\n

He pointed to a series of recent measures aimed at improving inbound travel, including expanded visa-free entry, tax refund services, convenient mobile payment systems, and multilingual support, which are all designed to make travel in China easier for visitors.<\/p>\n

The measures are already having visible results. In the third quarter of this year, more than 7 million foreign travelers entered China visa-free, accounting for 72.2 percent of all foreign arrivals \u2014 a 48.3 percent increase year-on-year.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want international friends to experience China more easily, more comfortably, and more closely,\u201d Wang said.<\/p>\n

Zhang Li, director of the China National Tourist Office in London, emphasized the significance of tourism in strengthening international understanding.<\/p>\n

\u201cTourism is a bridge of friendship,\u201d he said. \u201cPeople-to-people exchanges are the most sincere and direct way to bring hearts closer. When we travel, we not only see landscapes, we meet each other.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sebastien Lion, a travel expert and associate professor at Sorbonne University in Paris said he benefited from China\u2019s new visa policies during recent trips.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a great move. A lot of countries that want Chinese tourists already offer visa-free entry, so China doing the same makes perfect sense as tourism rebounds,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

As inbound tourism picks up pace, conversations at the WTM also turned to how Chinese outbound travelers are reshaping global destinations.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Chinese traveler of 2025 is younger, more independent, and more selective,\u201d said Daniel Cheng, founder of MDS Collective, who spoke during a panel session on Tuesday. \u201cThey want immersive experiences \u2014 to live like locals, take part in workshops and cultural activities \u2014 not just check off landmarks.\u201d<\/p>\n

Panelists share insights at a World Travel Market session on Tuesday, discussing how sports, storytelling, and AI are driving the next wave of Chinese outbound travel. [Photo provided to China Daily]<\/p>\n

Destinations around the world are adapting to the changes.<\/p>\n

Alhasan Aldabbagh, president of APAC Markets at the Saudi Tourism Authority, said the first wave of Chinese travelers has shown keen interest in places that still feel new or undiscovered.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat impresses us most is their curiosity,\u201d he said. \u201cFrom desert heritage sites to stargazing in AlUla, it\u2019s that balance of discovery and warmth that resonates.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added that major international sporting and entertainment events \u2014 from esports competitions to cultural festivals \u2014 are becoming new cultural bridges.<\/p>\n

In the UK, cinematic storytelling is proving to be a powerful draw.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf Chinese travelers considering the UK, 96 percent are interested in visiting film and television locations,\u201d said Robin Johnson, global marketing director at VisitBritain. The agency\u2019s \u201cStarring Great Britain\u201d campaign highlights destinations associated with Harry Potter, Peaky Blinders, and James Bond and encourages travelers to \u201cstep into the scene\u201d.<\/p>\n

Johnson said the UK expects 522,000 visits from China this year, with more travelers exploring beyond London into regions including Yorkshire, the Scottish Highlands, and coastal areas.<\/p>\n

Technology is playing a central role as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re seeing greater spontaneity and independence in how Chinese travelers plan their trips,\u201d said Boon Sian Chai, managing director for international markets at Trip.com Group. \u201cDigital platforms allow them to shape their journey in real time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Visitors try on traditional Chinese attire at the China Pavilion. [Photo provided to China Daily]<\/p>\n

Visitors enjoy a special performance during the China Pavilion\u2019s opening ceremony. [Photo provided to China Daily]<\/p>\n

Traditional Chinese performances take place during the China Pavilion\u2019s opening ceremony on the first day of the 2025 World Travel Market in London. [Photo provided to China Daily]<\/p>\n

For more visit\u00a0China Daily<\/a><\/p>\n

For subscriptions on news from China Daily, or inquiries, please contact China Daily Africa Ltd on +254 20 6920900 or write to enquiries@chinadailyafrica.com<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

BEIJING, China, Nov 6 \u2014 The China Pavilion drew widespread attention as it opened at the 2025 World Travel Market, or WTM, in London on Tuesday. Held at ExCeL London in the United Kingdom\u2019s capital, the annual event is one of the world\u2019s largest and most influential tourism trade fairs, bringing together more than 5,000 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-124276","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","entry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/124276","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=124276"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/124276\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=124276"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=124276"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=124276"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}