BEIJING: China is placing overseas travel demand at the centre of its next tourism push, with a State Council-approved five-year blueprint setting a target of 190 million inbound tourist visits a year by 2030.
The plan is designed to bring more international travellers into the country as China looks to strengthen consumption and deepen exchanges with the wider world.
It also sets a goal of generating more than US$150 billion in annual inbound tourism spending by the end of the decade.
Beyond visitor numbers and revenue, the blueprint calls for China to raise service standards across the tourism sector and expand the industry’s presence on the global stage.
A major part of the strategy focuses on making trips smoother for foreign visitors from arrival to departure.
China plans to widen its visa-free entry programme and add more international air and rail links to improve access.
The plan also targets the everyday barriers faced by overseas travellers, including payment, transport, communications and accommodation.
Tax refund procedures are expected to be made more efficient, while multilingual services will be improved through stronger training for foreign-language tour guides and wider use of AI-powered translation devices.
China also plans to build a broader inbound tourism network around international consumption hubs and major gateway cities.
More shopping clusters will be developed to better serve the needs of overseas visitors. - Xinhua
