Page last updated: 11 November 2024
With its sprawling cities, cultural heritage, and unforgettable natural landscape, China offers a diverse experience for travellers from around the world.
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 35.5 million visitors to China in 2023.
- 62.9 million international visitors came to China in 2018 and 65.73 million in 2019.
- In 2020, China experienced an 89% decrease in international visitation, with approximately 7.97 million international visitors.
- This trend continued with 5.66 million international visitors in 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. In 2022, inbound tourists increased to 25.25 million visits1
- China saw a sligChina slightly recovered in 2023 with over 35.5 million international visitors, showing a 41% growth from the previous year but still 46% less compared to 2019 figures (pre-pandemic)2
How many people visited China in 2024?
- China welcomed 14.6 million visitors in the first half of 2024, a 52.7% increase from 2023.
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 2023, international tourists generated a total of $24.8 billion while visiting China.
- 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 billion in 2020, $11.33 billion in 2021, and $9.58 billion in 2022.
- In 2023, there was an 84% increase in international expenditures totalling $24.8 billion.
How much do tourists spend in China in 2023?
- International tourists spend a total of $24.8 billion while visiting and exploring the wonders of China.
Where do visitors to China come from?
- In 2019, China was visited by millions of tourists from countries such as South Korea, America, Japan, India, Germany, Malaysia, Britain, Australia, Thailand and Singapore.3
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 popular is China as a tourist destination?
China was Asia’s leading tourist destination before the pandemic, drawing 65.73 million international visitors in 2019.4
- Its popularity, however, brought challenges like overtourism to landmarks such as the Great Wall of China, resulting in overcrowding and infrastructure strain. This situation emphasised the need for enhanced site management and preservation.
Learn more about Global Overtourism and the efforts of various countries to combat it.
- China was consistently the #1 destination in Asia for international tourists and ranked #4 in global tourism before the pandemic.
- 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.
Asia Travel Statistics
- Hong Kong Statistics
- India Statistics
- Indonesia Statistics
- Japan Statistics
- Malaysia Statistics
- Singapore Statistics
- South Korea Statistics
- Sri Lanka Statistics
- Thailand Statistics
