China's 2025 Lunar New Year saw a 203% surge in inbound travel, driven by expanded visa-free policies for citizens from 38 countries. Foreign visitors embraced Chinese culture, enjoying lion dances and traditional “hanfu” attire. Shanghai became a key entry point, bustling with tourists. Outbound travel also rose, aided by reciprocal visa-free agreements and increased international flights. Popular destinations included Singapore, Japan, and Malaysia. This travel boom highlights the success of open-border policies in revitalizing tourism and fostering international cultural exchanges.
China has experienced an impressive surge in inbound travel bookings during the 2025 Lunar New Year period, with a remarkable increase of over 200%, according to official reports and industry insights. This growth has been fueled largely by the country’s expanding visa-waiver initiatives, which have attracted travelers from around the globe.
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced via WeChat that inbound travel bookings had risen by an astonishing 203% compared to the 2024 holiday season. The festive period saw many foreign visitors immersing themselves in Chinese culture, enjoying traditional lion dances, and donning “hanfu,” the iconic attire representing China’s cultural heritage.
Travel marketing firm China Trading Desk contributed additional insights, with its CEO, Subramania Bhatt, revealing that inbound bookings by non-Chinese passport holders had climbed 70% compared to the previous year. “South Korea, the United States, Australia, Malaysia, and Canada were the top five sources of travelers to China during that period,” Bhatt noted.
Shanghai emerged as the busiest entry point for international arrivals, with parts of the city bustling to the point where restaurants had to turn away eager diners. Analysts attributed much of this growth to China’s visa-free travel policies, which allow citizens from 38 countries to visit visa-free for up to 30 days until the end of 2025. This initiative is part of China’s broader efforts to invigorate its economy amid challenges such as sluggish consumption and a property sector slowdown.
“Visa-free policy may play a positive role here, as many of these visitors come from eastern and Southeast Asian countries,” commented Liang Yan, an economics professor at Willamette University in the United States.
Outbound travel from China also witnessed a notable boost during the holiday period, spurred by reciprocal visa-free arrangements from other Asian nations and a resurgence in international flights. According to state-run news outlet Xinhua, Trip.com recorded a 70% rise in overseas bookings for car rentals and tourist attraction tickets compared to 2024.
Data from another travel platform, Qunar, showed that Chinese tourists visited over 2,100 overseas cities during the holiday—a 50% increase from the previous year. Bhatt added that families made up 80% of these bookings, with Singapore, Japan, and Malaysia being the most popular destinations. Thailand and South Korea also remained high on the list, despite some concerns about safety in recent months.
The Lunar New Year travel boom underscores the positive impact of open borders and streamlined visa policies, promoting cultural exchanges while revitalizing the travel industry both within China and beyond.
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