Tourism in China has greatly expanded over the last few decades. The emergence of a newly rich middle class and an easing of restrictions on movement by the Chinese authorities are both fueling this travel boom. China has become one of the world's most-watched and hottest outbound tourist markets.
Local tourism
Travel within China has become easier in recent years with the lifting of travel controls, massive investment in transportation facilities such as roads, railways and airlines, and the rapid rise in incomes. The number of domestic tourists increased from 695 million in 1998 to 878 million in 2002, boosting domestic tourism receipts from Rmb239.1 billion (US$28.9 billion) to Rmb387.8 billion (US$46.9 billion).
Inbound
China has become a major tourist destination, especially since its opening to the world in the late 1970s. In 1978, China received about 230,000 international foreign tourists, mostly because of the severe limitations that the government placed on who was allowed to visit the country and who was not.In 2006, according to the UNWTO, China received 49.6 million international visitors, making it the fourth most visited countries in the world.
Foreign Market
The number of foreign tourist arrivals reached 22.2103 millon, up 9.7% from the preceding year.
Foreign tourist arrivals from Asian countries increased 8.7%, accounting for 61.2% of foreign visitor arrivals, and the market share of these Asian tourists was 0.5 percentage points down from the previous year. Among the Asian visitors, the number of visitors from Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, India and Kazakhstan increased over 10%. South Korea is still the largest tourist source country to China.
Tourist Arrivals from other continents also have strong growth. The number of tourist arrivals from Europe, America and Oceania and Africa increased 10.2%, 12.1%, 11.3% and 23.4 respectively. The number of tourist arrivals from all main foreign source markets was increased over 10%, among which tourists from Britain were up 10.6%; those from Germany, increased 10.1%; from France, 8.1%; from Russia, 8.2%; from the United States, 10%; from Canada, 16.9%; and from Australia, 11.4% higher.
Market of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan
Tourist arrivals from Hong Kong totaled 73.9097 million, up 5.3% from the preceding year. There were 23.9062 million stayed overnight, increased 5.8% and accounting for 32.3% of the visitors from Hong Kong; and the rest 50.0035 million had a one day tour on China mainland, increased 4.6%, accounting for 67.7% of the Hong Kong visitors.
Tourist arrivals from Macao numbered 24.4087 million, down 5.2%. There were 4.0606 million stayed overnight, down 3.6%, and accounting for 14.9% of the visitors from Macao. Those who had a one day tour on Chinese mainland numbered 20.3481 million, down 5.4%, and accounting for 85.1% of the visitors from Macao.
Outbound
Rising middle class incomes and a pent-up demand to see the rest of the world will make China one of the most significant outbound tourism markets in the coming decade. Controls on foreign travel are being gradually eased. Rising disposable incomes and constant exposure to foreign countries on television have also contributed to a surge in outward tourism. One indication of this is the increase in the number of travel agencies, from 6,222 in 1998 to 11,552 in 2002, which has accompanied a rise in the number of Chinese tourists going abroad from 3.2 million to 10.1 million in the same period. The proportion of Chinese going abroad for "private purposes" rose steadily during that time from 38.1% to 60.8%. Almost all the growth in travel agencies has so far been in Chinese-owned agencies, which increased from 4,910 to 10,203, while international travel agencies in China have remained at just over 1,300.
Chinese nationals spent more than US$15 billion on tourism abroad in 2002, and US$19.1 billion in 2004. In 2006 some 34.5 million mainland Chinese trips were taken outside of China. China has been the leading source of outbound tourists in Asia since 2003, though most Chinese tourists (71% in 2005) only go to Hong Kong and Macau.