China's inbound tourism is experiencing a remarkable upswing, with international arrivals surging 40.2 percent year on year in the first quarter of 2025.

This growth has been further fueled by relaxed visa policies and enhanced travel convenience, leading to an influx of visitors from abroad during the just-ended May Day holiday.
In the first four days of the May Day holiday, China welcomed 35,000 inbound travelers, up 78 percent from the previous year. Among them 57 percent, or 20,000 travelers, benefited from visa-free entry policies, more than doubling last year's figures.
The border checkpoint at Mohan, a port in southwest China's Yunnan Province, recorded over 27,000 inbound and outbound travelers in the first four days of the five-day holiday. Among them nearly 11,000 were foreign nationals, up 27 percent year on year.
"The group I'm serving today consists of 31 guests from Vietnam. This year, the number of Vietnamese visitors traveling to Yunnan has more than doubled compared with last year," said Wang Jinjian, a tour guide.
China's new instant tax refund policy, launched in April, has fueled a shopping spree of international visitors who are snapping up souvenirs, snacks, and even electronics like smartphones.
"I came here for traveling. I bought a car for my kid. [It is ] amazing. You get mad. You get crazy with every kind of products. They are really interesting and amazing," said Paulo, a tourist from Argentina.
Beijing's tax-refund sales doubled to 270 million yuan in the first quarter, while the figure for Shanghai hit 760 million yuan, up 85 percent year on year.
Shanghai is now home to 587 tax-refund stores, with 284 offering instant refunds.
Beyond classic gifts like tea and silk, custom-made qipaos, a traditional Chinese dress, are getting popular.
From time-honored brands to hip local products, tax-free shops are stocking up on traditional crafts and smart gadgets, topping foreign visitors' shopping lists.