China plans to crack down on problems plaguing its tourism industry

BEIJING - China is stepping up efforts to tackle fraud and other persistent problems in its rapidly growing travel industry, a sector that has become increasingly important for the economy.

Speaking at the National People's Congress in Beijing in March, China's Minister of Culture and Tourism, Sun Yeli, highlighted ongoing challenges such as difficulties booking travel, purchasing tickets and even accessing public toilets.

Sun said authorities plan to focus on everyday problems faced by tourists and will crack down on misleading advertising and illegal practices, including businesses forcing visitors to make purchases.

China's economy is suffering from weak consumption. During the congress, Beijing announced that it would create "new scope for growth in domestic demand" this year, with tourism playing a central role in encouraging spending.

The government has been expanding winter sports and leisure offerings in recent years, and visa requirements for dozens of countries have been waived for tourist and business trips of up to 30 days.

China also extended the holiday week after the Spring Festival in February by one day – a peak travel period nationwide.

According to official figures, domestic trips reached 596 million – up 95 million compared to the holidays in 2025. However, travellers were less inclined to spend.

Average spending per trip fell from about $24.45 during the 2025 holidays to around $21.70, according to the business magazine Caixin.

Meanwhile, Sun said international tourism showed strong growth. In 2025, China counted 150 million foreign tourist arrivals - an increase of 17% per cent over the previous year.

Spending by these visitors exceeded $18.8 billion, bringing China's tourism revenues roughly back to the pre-pandemic level of 2019, Sun said.

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This story was originally published March 23, 2026 at 4:03 AM.