China has become one of the driving forces in the global outbound tourism industry. In 2019, the number of outbound tourists from China reached nearly *** million, almost three times as many as in 2010. However, the number of outbound tourists from China dropped to around **** million in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The numbers started slowly picking up in 2023 after border restrictions were removed. In 2024, Chinese made a total of around *** million trips abroad, and the revenue of the Chinese tourism industry accounted for nearly ** percent of the GDP. Tourism boost during Chinese New Year Outbound tourism in China surged during the 2024 Spring Festival holiday, with Chinese tourists embarking on approximately *** million overseas trips from February 10 to February 17. This uptick in tourism signifies the resurgence of the Spring Festival holidays as a peak season for global travel. Alipay revealed that its users' spending overseas during this period reached *** percent of the 2019 level, demonstrating a substantial increase of *** percent from 2023. Driving Asia Pacific’s travel boom Asia Pacific’s travel sector has recently experienced robust growth, with flight demand projected to return to pre-pandemic levels in 2024, largely due to an increase in Chinese tourists. The visa-free policy introduced by several Southeast Asian countries to attract more visitors from China is a major contributor to this trend. The top destinations for Chinese tourists during the New Year holiday included Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

China Outbound Tourist data was reported at 154,632.500 Person-Time th in 2019. This records an increase from the previous number of 149,718.400 Person-Time th for 2018. China Outbound Tourist data is updated yearly, averaging 126,267.500 Person-Time th from Dec 2014 (Median) to 2019, with 6 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 154,632.500 Person-Time th in 2019 and a record low of 107,275.500 Person-Time th in 2014. China Outbound Tourist data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Tourism Sector – Table CN.QAA: Tourism Industry Overview.

According to a 2025 survey conducted in March among Chinese travelers, ************** was the most attractive region to travel to when it came to long-haul travel. Europe was the second most-chosen destination that Chinese travelers were interested in.

In 2023, the destination of around 24 percent of all outbound departures from mainland China was Hong Kong. In comparison, Macao took the largest share of outbound departures from mainland China in 2022.

China Outbound Tourist: Year to Date data was reported at 154,630.000 Person-Time th in Dec 2019. This records an increase from the previous number of 119,900.000 Person-Time th for Sep 2019. China Outbound Tourist: Year to Date data is updated monthly, averaging 90,685.000 Person-Time th from Dec 2010 (Median) to Dec 2019, with 16 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 154,630.000 Person-Time th in Dec 2019 and a record low of 56,596.000 Person-Time th in Jun 2015. China Outbound Tourist: Year to Date data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Tourism Sector – Table CN.QAC: Outbound Tourist. [COVID-19-IMPACT]

In 2024, approximately *** million travelers from mainland China went abroad. Around ** percent of them visited countries in Asia, whereas ** percent chose to go to Europe.

Actual value and historical data chart for China International Tourism Number Of Arrivals

In a survey conducted in June 2025 among Chinese outbound travel agents, around ** percent of respondents said that outbound travel business in China in the first half of 2025 was better than in 2024. Another ** percent thought that the business status was about the same as in the previous year.

China Outbound Tourist: Travel Agency Organized: Taiwan data was reported at 0.000 Person-Time th in 2021. This records a decrease from the previous number of 305.795 Person-Time th for 2020. China Outbound Tourist: Travel Agency Organized: Taiwan data is updated yearly, averaging 3,981.000 Person-Time th from Dec 2012 (Median) to 2021, with 8 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5,231.076 Person-Time th in 2019 and a record low of 0.000 Person-Time th in 2021. China Outbound Tourist: Travel Agency Organized: Taiwan data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Tourism Sector – Table CN.QAC: Outbound Tourist.

According to a 2025 survey conducted in March among Chinese travelers, around 33 percent of respondents had either already traveled outside mainland China in 2025 or had an outbound trip booked. In contrast, only five percent of respondents stated they definitely would not travel abroad this year.

Macau Outbound Residents: Travel Agencies: Others data was reported at 8.000 Person in Dec 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.000 Person for Nov 2017. Macau Outbound Residents: Travel Agencies: Others data is updated monthly, averaging 12.500 Person from Jan 2012 (Median) to Dec 2017, with 70 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 89.000 Person in May 2013 and a record low of 0.000 Person in Nov 2017. Macau Outbound Residents: Travel Agencies: Others data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics and Census Service. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Macau – Table MO.Q008: Outbound Residents by Destination.

China Outbound Tourist: Travel Agency Organized: Hong Kong and Macau data was reported at 8.785 Person-Time th in 2021. This records a decrease from the previous number of 173.343 Person-Time th for 2020. China Outbound Tourist: Travel Agency Organized: Hong Kong and Macau data is updated yearly, averaging 7,602.700 Person-Time th from Dec 2004 (Median) to 2021, with 16 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 10,598.700 Person-Time th in 2014 and a record low of 8.785 Person-Time th in 2021. China Outbound Tourist: Travel Agency Organized: Hong Kong and Macau data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Tourism Sector – Table CN.QAC: Outbound Tourist.

China Outbound Tourist: Travel Agency Organized data was reported at 9.436 Person-Time th in 2021. This records a decrease from the previous number of 3,413.789 Person-Time th for 2020. China Outbound Tourist: Travel Agency Organized data is updated yearly, averaging 14,492.800 Person-Time th from Dec 2004 (Median) to 2021, with 16 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 62,880.625 Person-Time th in 2019 and a record low of 9.436 Person-Time th in 2021. China Outbound Tourist: Travel Agency Organized data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Tourism Sector – Table CN.QAC: Outbound Tourist.

This statistic depicts the share of outbound tourism expenditure in China's gross domestic product (GDP) from 2008 to 2021. In 2021, the expenditure of China's outbound tourists accounted for only around *** percent of China's GDP, a further decrease from *** percent in the previous year.

Tourist Arrivals in China increased to 2694 Tens of Thousands in 2024 from 1378.38 Tens of Thousands in 2023. This dataset provides - China Tourist Arrivals - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

China Outbound Tourist: Travel Agency Organized: Abroad data was reported at 0.651 Person-Time th in 2021. This records a decrease from the previous number of 2,934.651 Person-Time th for 2020. China Outbound Tourist: Travel Agency Organized: Abroad data is updated yearly, averaging 7,806.950 Person-Time th from Dec 2004 (Median) to 2021, with 16 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 50,226.083 Person-Time th in 2019 and a record low of 0.651 Person-Time th in 2021. China Outbound Tourist: Travel Agency Organized: Abroad data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Tourism Sector – Table CN.QAC: Outbound Tourist.

Hong Kong HK: International Tourism: Number of Departures data was reported at 91,758,000.000 Person in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 89,082,000.000 Person for 2015. Hong Kong HK: International Tourism: Number of Departures data is updated yearly, averaging 80,682,000.000 Person from Dec 1998 (Median) to 2016, with 19 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 91,758,000.000 Person in 2016 and a record low of 47,594,000.000 Person in 1998. Hong Kong HK: International Tourism: Number of Departures data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Hong Kong SAR – Table HK.World Bank.WDI: Tourism Statistics. International outbound tourists are the number of departures that people make from their country of usual residence to any other country for any purpose other than a remunerated activity in the country visited. The data on outbound tourists refer to the number of departures, not to the number of people traveling. Thus a person who makes several trips from a country during a given period is counted each time as a new departure.; ; World Tourism Organization, Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files.; Gap-filled total;

In 2023, a little over 100 million outbound trips were registered in mainland China. In comparison, approximately *** million of such journeys abroad were recorded in China in 2019. The majority of Chinese travel overseas were for personal reasons rather than business. Luxury travelers from ChinaChinese tourists have contributed an enormous amount of revenue to the international tourism market. On average, each Chinese traveler spends more than ** thousand yuan on a single overseas trip, and the budget was even higher among high-end travelers. Furthermore, Luxury travelers in China were no longer satisfied with taking a vacation in Southeast Asia, with Africa and central Asia increasing in popularity. Holiday-season travelersKnown as "Golden Week," the Chinese New Year holiday at the beginning of the year and the National Day holiday in October are popular times for the Chinese to plan their travel. During the Chinese New Year holiday in 2019, China's tourism industry generated a revenue of more than half a trillion yuan. The tropical city Sanya remained one of the leading domestic travel destinations for Spring Festival travelers.

Macau MO: International Tourism: Number of Departures data was reported at 1,251,000.000 Person in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1,466,000.000 Person for 2015. Macau MO: International Tourism: Number of Departures data is updated yearly, averaging 830,500.000 Person from Dec 2005 (Median) to 2016, with 12 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,537,000.000 Person in 2014 and a record low of 599,000.000 Person in 2007. Macau MO: International Tourism: Number of Departures data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Macau SAR – Table MO.World Bank.WDI: Tourism Statistics. International outbound tourists are the number of departures that people make from their country of usual residence to any other country for any purpose other than a remunerated activity in the country visited. The data on outbound tourists refer to the number of departures, not to the number of people traveling. Thus a person who makes several trips from a country during a given period is counted each time as a new departure.; ; World Tourism Organization, Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files.; Gap-filled total;

Macau Outbound Residents: Travel Agencies: IA: Asia: China data was reported at 34,500.000 Person in May 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 33,162.000 Person for Apr 2018. Macau Outbound Residents: Travel Agencies: IA: Asia: China data is updated monthly, averaging 12,912.000 Person from Jan 2001 (Median) to May 2018, with 209 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 58,220.000 Person in Aug 2014 and a record low of 606.000 Person in May 2003. Macau Outbound Residents: Travel Agencies: IA: Asia: China data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics and Census Service. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Macau – Table MO.Q008: Outbound Residents by Destination.