Destinations of attraction

The agency has developed pertinent products to cater to transit travelers' needs, such as a bus tour that brings people from Shanghai Pudong International Airport to downtown.

"It has been a hit among transit travelers and is frequently booked up," Sun says.

The agency plans to develop similar products in various port cities.

"We will continue to adjust our products, marketing strategies and product development to cater more to this type of tourist," he adds.

At the global traveler conference, Trip.com Group and Tianjin launched a plan that aims to continue promoting inbound tourism, such as creating exciting routes for travelers on a 144-hour visa-free transit.

Liu Xiaozhou, CEO of TripAdvisor China, said at the conference that China is becoming a global tourism hot spot, not only reflecting the appeal of its rich cultural heritage and natural landscapes to international tourists but also highlighting the country's relentless efforts and achievements in improving tourism services and optimizing the tourist environment.

Since 2022, inbound tourism in China has shown a clear and accelerated recovery, reaching 56 percent of 2019 levels in 2023.

As of the first quarter, the number of non-mainland residents entering the Chinese mainland had recovered to 92 percent of the same period in 2019, which is 2.2 times the figure for the same period in 2023, while the number of visas issued to foreigners increased by 119 percent year-on-year, Liu notes.

"These substantial increases demonstrate the international market's positive response to favorable policies and show that China's inbound tourism market is progressing rapidly toward broader horizons," Liu says.