CHARTING A COMEBACK.

China's inbound tourism market is experiencing a comeback, with visa-free policies and improved payment services fueling an international influx. In Q1 of 2024, immigration authorities recorded over 141 million entries and exits, with 13.07 million being foreign nationals. Major cities like Beijing and Shanghai have seen a significant number of inbound tourists, and the largest proportion of visitors are tourists, followed by business travelers and those visiting friends and relatives. China's expanded visa-free policies have played a crucial role in the recovery of inbound tourism, promoting people-to-people exchange, tourism, economic and trade cooperation, and cultural exchange. Efforts are also being made to improve payment services for foreign visitors, with leading payment service providers like Alipay and Weixin Pay allowing international visitors to link their international credit cards and offering translation services in multiple languages. However, challenges remain in the marketing and promotion mechanisms of China's inbound tourism industry, and the cost of traveling to China and securing tickets for popular attractions can deter potential travelers. Despite these challenges, the inbound tourism industry in China is expected to continue its gradual growth with the increase in the number of foreign travelers. [Extracted from the article]