China travel, here we come, and there you go

For friends who've never set foot in China, if your idea of the country still stops at postcard scenes of the Great Wall or the Forbidden City, or perhaps the neon-lit skyline of Shanghai, it's time for an update. These images once defined China's major tourism attractions, but as the country opens wider to the world and as social media and user-generated content reshape how stories are shared, China travel delivers more, and is delivered by more.

Scroll through TikTok or YouTube, and a new China travel image emerges: hundreds of drones choreographing shimmering stories across the night sky, travelers eagerly unboxing Pop Mart blind boxes to discover their next collectible surprise, or food lovers queuing for soup dumplings that disappear in one bite. It's a place not only to be seen but also to be photographed, gamified, and tasted.

Big-name travel vloggers have fueled this rediscovery. IShowSpeed's China trip went viral as he tested drone-delivered takeout in Shenzhen and tried to dance and flip with smart robots, calling the experience "like living in the future." Meanwhile, the Hutchinsons, a British couple exploring Xinjiang, documented heartwarming moments with Uyghur hosts, camel rides through desert dunes, and spontaneous dancing in night markets — turning stereotypes into smiles. Their personality-driven adventures make a distant country feel suddenly familiar.

The experiences they rave about are just a prelude to China travel, and this country has much more to offer. Zhangjiajie in Hunan province, which inspired the film Avatar, features the world's tallest outdoor sightseeing elevator rising through misty quartz-sandstone peaks. Xi'an in Shaanxi, home to the Terracotta Army and the starting point of the ancient Silk Road, connects travelers with millennia of history. Chengdu, the laid-back capital of Sichuan province, invites visitors to see giant pandas, sip tea in traditional teahouses, and try their hand at mahjong. In Puning, Guangdong province, the spectacular Yingge Dance, a centuries-old folk martial dance, now draws crowds not only locally but also on stages in London and Paris, where the performance has gone viral as a vibrant symbol of Chinese culture.

The message is clear: China today is convenient and irresistibly dynamic. High-speed trains, lightning-fast mobile payments, and deep-rooted traditions coexist in harmony. After watching just ten minutes of these vlogs, most viewers feel two instincts: book a ticket, and pack loose pants.

The rebound of inbound tourism and facilitation measures

China's inbound tourism is back in full swing as the government introduced a comprehensive package of facilitation measures designed to enhance travel accessibility. Central to this revival is the expansion of visa-free entry, including unilateral visa exemptions for 47 countries and a 240-hour visa-free transit policy for 55 countries, including the United Kingdom.

According to the National Immigration Administration of China, 20.12 million foreign travelers entered China on visa-free terms in 2024, marking a year-on-year rise of 112.3 percent. Statistics show that in the third quarter of 2025 alone, over seven million foreigners entered China visa-free, accounting for 72.2 percent of foreign travelers and representing a 48.3 percent year-on-year increase.

Beyond easier entry, China has rolled out new conveniences to make travel smoother than ever:

Mobile payments via Alipay and WeChat now support foreign bank cards, streamlining everyday spending.

Simplified tax refunds at airports and shopping districts cut down paperwork and waiting times.

High-speed rail expansion continues to shrink distances between major cities.

Multilingual services and signage are growing across popular destinations.

Together, these updates make exploring China as seamless as it is stimulating.

China at WTM London 2025: A modern vision of tourism

China's participation in the World Travel Market (WTM) London 2025, held from November 4 to 6 at ExCeL London, highlights a forward-looking national tourism industry. Under the event's overarching theme, "Empowering the World through Travel: How Will You Use Your Power?", this year's China Pavilion focuses on innovation, integration, and sustainable growth—values that define the modern vision of Chinese tourism.

With its largest-ever exhibition area, the China Pavilion brings together 13 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions including Beijing, Shanghai, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Hainan, Xinjiang etc. The participation of travel agencies, hotels, airlines, cruise companies, and educational tourism organizations reflects a comprehensive view of China's tourism value chain, from transportation and accommodation to cultural content creation and service innovation.

Designed with eco-friendly bamboo and an open, flowing layout, it symbolizes rivers of regional culture converging into one vibrant current. Panda motifs and calligraphic art blend familiarity with fresh imagination, while spaces for exhibitions, performances, and tea ceremonies immerse visitors in both culture and commerce.

Whether through the innovative displays at China's WTM pavilion or the vivid moments captured by travel bloggers, the world is seeing China anew. The renowned British writer Samuel Johnson once wrote, "The purpose of travel is to regulate imagination by reality, and instead of thinking how things may be, to see them as they are." The process of coming and going offers the perfect opportunity to go beyond expectations, experiencing contemporary China firsthand where culture, innovation, and everyday life converge in ways that surprise, delight, and inspire.

The author is an international affairs observer.

The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.

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