On June 13th, China announced the inclusion of New Zealand in its unilateral visa-free policy. Within half an hour of the announcement, searches on a domestic travel platform for China-related keywords by New Zealand tourists increased by 65%. During the Dragon Boat Festival period, inbound travel orders grew by 115% compared to 2023, with the most visitors coming from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, South Korea, and Malaysia. These figures illustrate the robust momentum of China's inbound tourism market. On short video platforms, foreign tourists from around the world exclaim "falling in love with China."

Inbound tourism continues to improve, with more foreign tourists "visiting China to see for themselves." Currently, China has become the largest source of international tourism and a major destination. In the first quarter, the number of foreigners visiting China more than tripled compared to the same period in 2023, with tourism and sightseeing accounting for over 30%. According to a report from Ctrip, during the 2024 Dragon Boat Festival holiday, inbound travel orders increased by 115% year-on-year, continuing the hot trend of inbound tourism this year. Recently released by the World Economic Forum, the "2024 Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report" ranks China eighth globally in promoting tourism development, the only developing economy in the top ten. Hong Kong's "Sing Tao Daily" reported that China was listed among the "Top 10 Best Tourist Countries" globally. The article also lists popular tourist attractions in China, including the Forbidden City in Beijing, the Great Wall, the Bund and Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai, Shanghai Disneyland, and Jiuzhaigou in Sichuan. The continuous rise of China's inbound tourism showcases its strong attraction and development potential, injecting continuous positive energy into the world tourism recovery.

Favorable policies are accelerating implementation, making it a reality for foreign tourists to "visit China on a whim." Recently, with the continuous expansion of visa-free access, there has been a significant improvement in convenience for foreign tourists coming to China. In addition, the effectiveness of continuously optimized payment services and other measures has become increasingly apparent, further enhancing the willingness of foreign tourists to travel to China. On May 19th, the "Shanghai Pass," a multi-purpose prepaid card, was launched in Shanghai, usable for public transport, taxis, ferries, cultural and tourism venues, and convenience stores. This initiative epitomizes the ongoing efforts across various regions to enhance payment convenience for foreign tourists. According to the "South China Morning Post" in Hong Kong, China has made some changes recently to make services more friendly to foreigners. For example, Chinese banks and payment apps have been required to provide more convenient payment solutions for foreigners, and tech giant Tencent updated WeChat Pay in April to support foreign phone numbers and bank cards. By continuously improving service measures to enhance the convenience of foreign tourists, China demonstrates its determination and sincerity in high-level openness.

"Seeing is believing" refreshes perceptions, and immersive experiences let the world see the real China. Seven foreign bloggers from the UK, South Africa, and Russia visited ancient towns in Jiaxing, enjoying the Dragon Boat Festival, experiencing intangible cultural heritage projects, participating in rice dumpling wrapping competitions, and other folk activities, capturing local Dragon Boat Festival cultural events with their cameras. Visitors from Pakistan, South Africa, and Zimbabwe participated in eating zongzi competitions, guessing riddles, sewing monkey dolls, hanging mugwort, and other folk activities in Chongqing's old streets, spending the Dragon Boat Festival with local residents... By participating in a series of cultural activities, foreign tourists truly feel the unique beauty of different cultures and are impressed by the enthusiastic Chinese people and thoughtful cultural and tourism services. A large number of travel videos in China have gone viral on overseas social media platforms, with foreign bloggers breaking the "filter" of Western media on China with their firsthand experiences, sparking more curiosity and desire for exploration among foreign netizens.

Civilizations thrive through diversity and exchange, leading to mutual learning and development. With more policy effects being released and tourism services continually improving, more foreign tourists are expected to travel to China, make friends, experience Chinese culture, explore beautiful landscapes, and personally experience the real China.