China targets 190 million inbound tourist visits per year by 2030

Beijing (ANTARA) - China aims to attract 190 million inbound tourist visits every year by 2030, according to a new five-year tourism development plan.

This marks an expansion of China’s efforts to attract foreign tourists as the country strives to boost consumption and deepen international exchanges.

The plan, which has been approved by China’s State Council, targets inbound tourism spending of more than US$150 billion (1 US dollar = Rp17,988) annually by 2030, while calling for higher-quality tourism services and a stronger global presence for China’s tourism industry.

To help achieve these targets, China will further simplify services for inbound tourists throughout their journeys within the country.

The plan calls for the expansion of visa-free entry programmes and the addition of international air and rail connections, while improving ease of use regarding payments, transport, communication, and accommodation, as well as optimising tax refund procedures.

Various multilingual tourist services are also expected to increase through better training for foreign-language tour guides and the wider use of artificial intelligence (AI) based translation devices.

The plan also outlines the formation of a national-scale inbound tourism network focused on international consumption hubs and major gateway cities, aiming to develop more shopping clusters tailored to the needs of international tourists.