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This summer, Europe welcomes a surge of Chinese tourists, driven by China’s continued openness and new direct flights between European and Chinese cities. At the same time, relaxed visa policies by the Chinese government since last year have prompted more Europeans to travel to China. This growing two-way tourism trend is expected to restore Europe’s tourism sector to pre-pandemic levels, fostering cultural and people-to-people exchanges between China and Europe.

Europe Through Chinese Eyes

More Chinese tourists are choosing private trips over package tours, exploring Europe in diverse ways. In the first half of this year, the Spanish Statistical Office recorded 337,446 Chinese tourists, approaching last year’s total of 382,207. A recent study by the Spanish Tourism Institute highlighted significant growth potential for tourism from distant locations like China, aided by the operation of direct flights. The study found that Chinese tourists are highly interested in Spain and possess a deep understanding of Spanish destinations and tourism services. While France and Italy remain popular, Chinese tourists are increasingly visiting Central-Eastern European countries such as Croatia and Slovenia. Slovenia, known for its pristine natural scenery and rich cultural heritage, has reported a noticeable increase in tourists from mainland China this summer, according to local travel agents.

European Commission Report

According to the European Commission, EU residents made 2.1 million trips to China in 2016, with an average stay of 15.6 nights. They spent a total of EUR 5.1 billion on these trips, making China the third-largest destination in terms of expenditure.

China’s Growing Popularity

China is becoming a popular travel destination for Europeans. In 2016, China ranked number eight among non-EU destinations. The United States was the most popular non-EU destination, followed by neighboring countries such as Turkey, Switzerland, Norway, and Russia.

Increasing Chinese Tourism in the EU

The number of nights spent in the EU by Chinese tourists has more than tripled over the last ten years, reaching nearly 25 million nights in 2016. Tourism from China has increased more than that from other major non-EU countries, including the United States, Russia, and Brazil.

Visa-Free Expansion

China has extended its visa-free travel program to include Australia, Poland, and New Zealand until the end of 2025 to boost tourism. Polish citizens now benefit from this policy, joining 11 other European nations like Spain, Italy, and France.

Starting in early 2024, the initiative was rolled out in phases, initially benefiting 11 European countries and Malaysia. The program aims to attract visitors for business, luxury travel, and tourism, fostering interactions between Chinese citizens and foreign nationals.

Eligible Countries

Citizens from Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain, and Switzerland enjoy visa-free entry to China until the end of next year. Polish citizens will join this list starting July 1.

China Through European Eyes

China’s attractiveness as a global travel destination has grown significantly, thanks to new policies like the 15-day visa-free entry for travelers from 15 countries and the expansion of the 144-hour visa-free transit policy. Many foreign bloggers have shared their travel experiences in China on social media, making “China travel” an enticing concept. International travel agencies report that the demand for trips to China this summer has quadrupled compared to last year.

New Business Models

European travel agencies are capitalizing on China’s new visa policy by shifting their focus from “bringing Chinese tourists to Europe” to “exploring China.” These new tourism products enhance global understanding of China. For the Poland-China Travel Agency, established 25 years ago as the first Polish agency to promote trips to China, the unilateral visa waiver to Poland was welcome news. Project Manager Eva Gajewska noted that as soon as the visa waiver was announced, they received numerous inquiries about travel itineraries to China. Many clients expressed that “it’s time to travel to China!”

A Hainan Airlines passenger plane received a ceremonial water salute upon its arrival at Prague Airport in the Czech Republic on June 24, 2024 . When direct flights between Beijing and Prague resumed in late June, the Czech Tourism Authority (CzechTourism) described it as a “significant step” to boost inbound tourism from China. This connection to Beijing presents a great opportunity for Czech tourists to explore China and Asia.