Even with the visa-free policy boost, far fewer tourists are coming to China now than before the pandemic.
According to official tourism data, China received a total of 49.1 million overseas visitors in 2019, with more than a third coming in for sightseeing and leisure. Revenue from international tourism reached $131.3 billion that year.
In the first half of 2024, the number of foreign nationals entering China was far lower at 14.6 million. Among them, 8.5 million entered visa-free, accounting for just over half of the total, according to the National Immigration Administration
