China Tourism Statistics - How Many Tourists Visit? (2024)

Page last updated: 13 July 2025

With its sprawling cities, cultural heritage, and unforgettable natural landscape, China offers a diverse experience for travellers from around the world.

Overview

How many tourists visit China each year?

Up to 60 million international visitors travel to China every year. Due to the pandemic, the number of visitors decreased in 2020 and has been slowly recovering with 32.0 million visitors to China in 2024.

62.9 million international visitors came to China in 2018 and 65.7 million in 2019.

In 2020, China experienced an 88% decrease in international visitation, with approximately 8.0 million international visitors.

This trend continued with 5.7 million international visitors in 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. In 2022, inbound tourists increased to 25.3 million visits.

China slightly recovered in 2023 with 35.5 million international visitors, showing a 40% growth from the previous year. In 2024, China received 32.0 million international visitors, representing a 51% decrease from 2019 and a 10% decrease from 2023. ¹

How many people visited China in 2024?

In 2024, 32.0 million international visitors traveled to China. This represents a 10% decrease from the 35.5 million visitors in 2023 and is still 51% below the 65.7 million recorded in 2019, reflecting ongoing challenges in returning to pre-pandemic levels.

How many tourists visit the Great Wall of China each year?

Each year, over 10 million people visit the Great Wall of China. The Badaling section, renowned for its historical and cultural significance, has welcomed over 300 international heads of state and VIPs, with the earliest recorded visit by a Soviet leader.

How much do people spend in China every year?

In 2024, international tourists generated a total of $39.70 billion while visiting China, marking a 60 % increase from 2023 and an 11 % increase from 2019.

In 2018, China generated $40.39 billion in international travel expenditure, which fell to $35.83 billion in 2019.

International travel expenditure continued to decrease with $10.00 billion in 2020, before recovering slightly to $11.33 billion in 2021, and $13.58 billion in 2022.

In 2023, there was an 83 % increase in international expenditures totalling $24.80 billion

How much do tourists spend in China in 2024?

In 2024, international tourists spent $39.70 billion in China, representing a 60% increase from the $24.80 billion in 2023, and 11% above the $35.83 billion recorded in 2019.

How much do tourists spend in China in 2023?

International tourists spent $24.80 billion in China in 2023, an 83 % increase over the $13.58 billion spent in 2022, but still 31 % below the $35.83 billion recorded in 2019.

How much does it costs to visit China?

Visitors to China spend on average ¥1,024.04 (about $141.32) per trip in 2024, up from ¥1,004.56 (about $138.63) in 2023.

Where do visitors to China come from?

China is visited by millions of tourists annually from countries such as South Korea, the United States, Japan, India, Germany, Malaysia, Britain, Australia, Thailand and Singapore.

About 105 million of the 131.9 million international and domestic arrivals in 2024, roughly 80 %, came from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.

The remaining 26.9 million arrivals were driven by expanded visa-free policies, with the fastest growth from Southeast Asia and parts of Europe, while Japan, South Korea, the US, and the UK (still visa-required) lagged significantly behind. ²

Impact of Coronavirus – China Tourism Statistics 2021

According to UNWTO, in 2021, international visitation in China was 72% less compared to 2019.

Due to travel restrictions and the closure of international borders, China’s international tourist revenue fell by 68% compared to the pre-pandemic period.

How long do tourists stay in China?

Inbound visitors stayed 2.84 days in China on average while, typical business visits still run around 2 to 3 days, while multi-city holiday tours often extend to 7 days.

Why do people visit China?

People come to China primarily for holiday with a variety of motivations that have evolved over time:

Leisure & sightseeing: Traditionally the single largest purpose, roughly one-third of inbound arrivals in 2024 cited “sightseeing/leisure.”

Business & meetings: Corporate travel has always been a core segment (about 20 % in 2024.

Cultural, historical & niche experiences: Beyond the classic leisure/business split, visitors increasingly seek specialized products which comprised around 10%:
- Red tourism: Trips to revolutionary or Party-heritage sites
- Industrial-heritage tourism: Visits to historic factories or mining towns
- Seasonal/photogenic events: Ice and snow festivals in Harbin, Golden Week multi-city tours, etc.

When is the best time to visit China?

Spring and autumn is the time to visit China, ideal for its mild weather, lower crowds and vibrant scenery.

April–May (Late Spring): Temperatures are comfortably warm across most of China, flowers and blossoms are at peak, and the massive domestic travel surges around May Day Golden Week.

September–October (Early Autumn): Skies turn clear, humidity drops, and foliage starts to change. Avoid the National Day rush in early October, before or after the first week of the month.

Off-Peak Considerations: Late November through early March brings fewer tourists (especially outside of Lunar New Year), though northern regions can be very cold; if you’re chasing winter festivals (Harbin Ice Festival, for example), late December to February is best despite the chill.

Is China safe for tourists?

China is generally safe for tourists, ranks 85th out of 163 countries on the 2024 Global Peace Index—placing it in the “high” category for peacefulness, with violent crime being rare.

Strong safety perception: Numbeo’s 2024 Crime Index gives China a score of 23.95 (low crime) and a Safety Index of 76.05, indicating a reassuringly secure environment compared to many other countries.

How popular is China as a tourist destination?

China placed 8th out of 119 economies in the World Economic Forum’s 2024 Travel & Tourism Development Index, marking it as one of the world’s most tourism-friendly nations.

With 59 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, China offers a vast array of landmarks—from the Great Wall to the South China Karst—that rank among the highest totals worldwide.

China consistently ranks as the #1 destination in Asia for international tourists and ranked #4 in global tourism before the pandemic.³

Its popularity, however, brought challenges like overtourism to landmarks such as the Great Wall of China, resulting in overcrowding and infrastructure strain.

However, strict travel restrictions on international tourists resulted in China dropping from fourth to outside the top ten in global tourism rankings.

What are the major tourist attractions in China?

The Forbidden City is China’s most visited attraction, listed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site in 1987.

The Great Wall of China is one of the most iconic structures in the world and a major ancient tourist attraction, drawing millions of visitors each year.

The Summer Palace, considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the most well-preserved and popular imperial gardens in the world.

The Leshan Giant Buddha is the largest Buddha statue in the world and a UNESCO Natural and Cultural Heritage property in Leshan.

The Zhangjiajie Forest, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, offers visitors an experience in scenery and ecological diversity with its towering sandstone pillar, forest and natural beauty.

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References

UNWTO: Tourism Statistics – China ↩︎
TCG: China Tourism Facts & Figures ↩︎
UNWTO: Tourism Barometer and Statistical Annex ↩︎