On August 21, 2025, the Ancient Kiln Folk Customs Expo Area in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi Province, welcomed 200 French artists. They experienced the "art of clay and fire" on potter's wheels and took home blue and white porcelain cups engraved with their names. "Travel in China used to be about 'checking in,' but now we want to 'immerse ourselves,'" said tour leader Marina. On the same day, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism released the "2025 Inbound Tourism Trend Report": In the first half of the year, foreign tourists participated in an average of 2.7 cultural experiences in China, with intangible cultural heritage, night tours, and food all experiencing growth rates exceeding 60%. The "China Travel" topic on the English version of Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book) exceeded 800 million views.
Supply-side upgrades are also underway. Beijing launched the "Celebrate the New Year at the Foot of the Great Wall" campaign, where tourists can make dumplings and write Spring Festival couplets at a beacon tower. The "Village Super League" in Rongjiang, Guizhou, added Portuguese commentary, attracting Brazilian football fans on charter flights. Dali, Yunnan, brought tie-dyeing classes to a century-old Bai courtyard, and French tourist Mathieu has decided to extend his vacation to complete a 30-day advanced course.
Transportation and payment are also evolving simultaneously. The China Railway Corporation announced that starting in September 2025, foreign passports can be directly verified on the official 12306 website for ticket purchases, eliminating the need for ticket verification at a check-in counter. The number of pilot cities for the central bank's digital currency has increased to 20, allowing inbound tourists to exchange their passports for digital RMB hard wallets, enabling them to "swipe their wristbands to ride the subway." Dai Bin, President of the China Tourism Group Research Institute, pointed out that as Chinese tourism shifts from a resource-driven to an experience-driven approach, cultural soft power becomes a core competitive advantage. According to the latest forecast from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), China will surpass France in 2025 to become the world's largest inbound tourism revenue recipient, with revenue expected to exceed $180 billion.
From simply visiting to immersing oneself in China, foreign tourists are not only experiencing the scenery but also understanding the culture. As German blogger Schmidt wrote at Chongqing's Hongya Cave: "Travel in China has taught me that true travel isn't about being there, but about being moved."