Advertisement
Advertisement
TOPIC

Chinese tourists

Chinese tourists
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Chinese tourists. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Tourists brave the rain at the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront. Photo: Jelly Tse
Hong Kong tourism

Hong Kong tourist arrivals up 3% in July as bad weather curbs mainland growth

Tourism board says international meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions helped drive an increase in business visitors and arrivals from some source markets.

Trending in China

China dark tourism rises as adventurers brave simulated disasters at experience centres

videocam
Accidents and disasters in China

Blackout at Terracotta Army museum prompts cultural safety review in China

videocam
Hong Kong property

BTS bump? Hong Kong’s hotels set for bonanza from pop superstars’ world tour

With BTS’ juggernaut world tour set to land in Hong Kong next year, the city’s hotels are tipped to see a Seoul-style surge in bookings.

videocam
South Korean boy band BTS performs during the final of the 2026 World Cup in the United States. Photo: AFP
China's economic recovery

How China’s Zhangjiajie aims to revive a US$296 million loss-making tourist site

A 150,000-visitor opening offers an early signal, but analysts warn that lasting cash flow will require stronger products, local culture and tighter operations.

7
Hong Kong property

The Peninsula Hong Kong and Tokyo set for HK$2.1 billion revamp

No timeline has been set, but the operator says it will minimise disruption while preserving the heritage of its iconic Hong Kong hotel.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
China travel

How international hotel chains are expanding in China’s ‘approachable’ segment

Global hotel groups are expanding into China’s midscale segment as price-sensitive travellers seek value without sacrificing brand trust.

Hilton’s upper-midscale Hampton brand has expanded rapidly in Shenzhen, with a footprint of 17 properties to date. Photo: Handout
South Korea

BTS concert drives South Korea’s Busan foreign tourist numbers to record high

Busan welcomed more than 2.42 million foreign visitors between January and June – a 43.9 per cent jump compared to the same period last year.

Banking & finance

Shifting priorities: how affluent buyers fuel Hong Kong’s record insurance sales

Mainland China and overseas wealth, alongside family offices, is driving insurance demand in the city to new highs.

Hong Kong environmental issues

Letters | Manage tourist flow to Sharp Island for a better travel experience

Readers discuss why Sharp Island visitor data must be monitored, the Wang Fuk Court fire inquiry, how to remember those who died in the fire, and executive-led governance.

Sharp Island in Sai Kung on May 1. On the first day of the Labour Day golden week, around 3,000 people flocked to the island. Photo: Dickson Lee
Japan

Are Chinese tourists really to blame for overcrowding Japan’s Kyoto?

Data from the Kyoto City Tourism Association shows a sharp decline in Chinese overnight stays as a result of growing bilateral tensions.

videocam
7
Tourists crowd a street lined with blooming cherry blossom trees in Kyoto, Japan, in March. Photo: Reuters
Hong Kong tourism

Global tourism push promotes Hong Kong as city to be ‘felt’ not just seen

‘Only in Hong Kong’ campaign aims to redefine how travellers experience city and distinguish it from other destinations, Tourism Board says.

China travel

The Haaland effect? Chinese tourists flock to Norway amid World Cup ad blitz

The hulking striker has become a huge star in China during the World Cup, helping his homeland attract a growing wave of tourists.

7
China economy

Opinion | How domestic tourism is driving Chinese consumption and growth

After a blockbuster first half, all eyes will be on how domestic tourism sustains the momentum through the autumn and ‘golden week’ breaks.

videocam
Illustration: Craig Stephens
China travel

‘Indispensable to me’: how RedNote has taken over China’s travel scene

Chinese lifestyle app RedNote is now the first place to which many younger travellers turn to seek inspiration, one expert says.

Two tourists from China’s Jilin province show their RedNote accounts on their mobile phones as they visit the Forbidden City in Beijing on July 11, 2026. The platform, also known as Xiaohongshu, has shaken up the tourism industry in China, where domestic travel is booming to record levels. Photo: AFP
China property

Up Tempo? Hilton hotel brand taps into rising China tourism demand

US hotel operator says new lifestyle brand reflects its belief that the country’s tourism sector will continue to grow.

South Korea

Jeju plan to allow Chinese tourist drivers stokes safety backlash

The proposal has reignited a decade-old debate over insurance and legal loopholes amid calls for phased policy changes.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
South Korea

South Korea’s foreigner-only casinos hit jackpot as Chinese tourists return

The casino industry, open only to foreigners, is betting on an expected surge in Chinese group travel in the second half to drive profits.

Gaming tables at foreigner-only Jeju Dream Tower Integrated Resort. Photo: Jeju Dream Tower
Japan

Japan wants 60 million tourists, but China isn’t sending them

Tokyo is banking on a massive visitor boom to do what its factories and financiers increasingly cannot: carry the economy forward.

21
China consumption

How a quiet Chinese fishing village became a global surfing hotspot

Wanning, on tropical Hainan Island, is now home to 160 surf clubs and welcomes 500,000 visitors a year.

videocam
Hong Kong property

Hong Kong’s 5-star resilience: city’s luxury hotels pull ahead of competition

Robust demand spurs investment activities in the luxury-hotel segment, and transactions have seen strong growth across the Asia-Pacific region since 2017.

Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour is seen from Lugard Road at The Peak in June. Photo: Karma Lo
Myanmar

Myanmar has ‘a mountain to climb’ to woo 2 million tourists a year

Myanmar saw 4.5 million tourist arrivals at the peak in 2015, but the numbers have fallen sharply since the military coup in 2021.

videocam
Tourists offer joss sticks at Myanmar’s Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon in 2019. Photo: AP
Malaysia

Chinese tourist’s World Cup flag blunder in Malaysia goes viral

The visitor demanded a hotel fly China’s flag, unaware the display only featured nations that had actually qualified for the tournament.

Trending in China

Burned-out Chinese workers flock to tourist-site ‘poet actor’ for life wisdom

Wang Haonan goes viral playing Tang dynasty cultural icon, providing poetic solace to those who consult him about their problems.

Malaysia

How Malaysia’s tourist board plans to entice Chinese travellers

China was Malaysia’s second-largest source market in 2025, with 4.7 million visitor arrivals, up 25 per cent from 3.7 million a year earlier.

Tourists take pictures with the Sultan Abdul Samad building near Merdeka Square in Kuala Lumpur on June 8. Photo: AFP
Trending in China

Chinese teenager cracks glass bridge; public questions structural quality

The scenic area was designated a national 5A tourist attraction in 2024; by 2025, China had hosted 358 such esteemed sites.

A teenager damaged a panel on a glass bridge at a tourist site in central China, raising concerns about the quality of the structure. Photo: SCMP composite/Douyin
Malaysia

Why Malaysia’s tourism boom lives and dies on a Chinese app

RedNote has made Malaysia a must-visit for Chinese tourists, but it can dismantle reputations just as fast as it builds them.

7
Malaysia

Malaysia has never had so many Chinese tourists. It wants more

As Thailand loses its allure, Malaysia turns to viral algorithms to entice millions of independent Chinese travellers.

15
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.
SUPPORT NOW
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement