Advertisement
Advertisement
TOPIC

Chinese tourists

Chinese tourists
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Chinese tourists. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
In China, dark tourism is gaining traction, particularly among the youth, who are increasingly drawn to disaster experience centres. Photo: RedNote
Trending in China

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

The appeal of these events comes from facing a scary crisis in a safe environment, notes an expert.

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

videocam
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
People await entry into Dayong Ancient City during its reopening last month. Photo: Handout
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.

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.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
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.

K-pop band BTS performs during the World Cup final match between Spain and Argentina at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on July 19. Photo: AFP
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.

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.

The campaign uses a palette of 16 colours inspired by local landmarks and cultural symbols. Photo: HKTB
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
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.

Hilton executives at the launch ceremony of the Tempo hotel brand in Shanghai on Tuesday. Photo: Handout
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.

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.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
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
Tourists throng a shopping street in front of Sensoji Temple in the popular Asakusa district of Tokyo, Japan, last month. Photo: Kyodo
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.

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.

A still from a social media video shows a Chinese tourist at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, irate about the absence of China’s national flag from a World Cup display. Photo: Threads
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.

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
A woman holds her smartphone displaying the Chinese social networking and e-commerce app RedNote, also known as Xiaohongshu. Photo: AFP
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
New Zealand

Why an easier option to travel to New Zealand is a hit with Chinese tourists

Chinese visitors take advantage of a pilot scheme that exempted them from visa requirements if they were travelling from Australia.

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