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Chinese tourists

Chinese tourists
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Chinese tourists. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Shen Shishi with her finished painting of a panda. Photo: Handout
Malaysia

Chinese tourist’s Penang panda mural that drew criticism turns crowd-puller

Local officials review an application to keep the unauthorised artwork at Chew Jetty intact after ordering the painting to be removed.

South Korea

Chinese tourists pivot to South Korea, Thailand amid Japan travel ban

Malaysia

Penang set to scoop up Chinese tourists skipping Japan, Thailand’s Hat Yai

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China travel

1,900 China-Japan flights cancelled in December as political row continues

Airlines have now scrapped over 40 per cent of their China-Japan flights scheduled for this month amid a diplomatic spat over Taiwan.

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Chinese airlines have cancelled large numbers of flights to Japan amid a political dispute over Taiwan. Photo: Shutterstock
China trade

From immigration to investments: China’s middle class is unwinding bets on Japan

Popular destination for capital feels the chill, with cruise lines cancelling trips, investors selling property and parents questioning if it is safe to send students.

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Singapore

Singapore becomes Plan B for Chinese travellers giving Japan a wide berth

Beijing’s call to boycott Japan after Sanae Takaichi’s remarks is benefiting Southeast Asian countries, travel agents say.

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Japan

Opinion | Why Chinese are cancelling their trips to Japan

The Japanese prime minister crossed a red line and reopened old wounds in employing language that echoed rhetoric used by imperial Japan to justify invasion.

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Chinese tourists visit the Sensoji temple in the Asakusa district of Tokyo on November 20. Many Chinese have chosen to cancel their trips to Japan after Beijing issued a travel advisory. Photo: AP
China travel

Chinese tourism to Russia soars as travellers pivot from under-fire Japan

Chinese travel firms have seen a surge in Russia-related bookings in recent weeks, as tourists continue to avoid Japan amid a diplomatic row.

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Thailand

Thailand to curb repeat visa-free entries amid rise in scams, illegal work

Around 2,900 foreigners have been barred by Thailand so far this year due to their multiple short-term entries.

Trending in China

Italian eatery owner slammed for insulting 16 Taiwan tourists for sharing 5 pizzas

An Italian chef tells media that one reason for owner’s irritation might be because it is common for customers to order one pizza per person.

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An Italian restaurant owner faced backlash after verbally abusing 16 Taiwanese tourists for only ordering five pizzas. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/X.com
China-Japan relations

What economic cards will China play with Japan? Analysts see dilemma in the row

Beijing seen balancing need to retaliate against Tokyo with risk of alienating foreign investors; experts expect cautious strategy.

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A woman walks past a Japanese restaurant in Beijing on November 19. China has reportedly reimposed an import ban on Japanese seafood just weeks after lifting it. Photo: AFP
China travel

Chinese airlines cancel flights on 12 Japan routes as tensions continue to rise

The carriers had already received refund requests for hundreds of thousands of flight bookings to Japan amid a growing diplomatic row.

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Japan

The View | Takaichi’s nationalism and fiscal stimulus test Japan’s property market

Despite market pressures, cost-of-living concerns and the diplomatic row with China, other factors have a strong bearing on the nation’s real estate.

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Asia travel

Chinese cruise ship to Japan diverts to South Korea amid China-Japan spat

Chinese cruise operators are looking to avoid Japanese ports amid rising tensions, which is expected to spur tourism demand for South Korea.

Adora Cruises’ Adora Magic City is pictured in Shanghai in 2024. The Chinese cruise ship has changed its schedule for December to avoid stopping at the Japanese ports of Fukuoka, Sasebo and Nagasaki as planned, according to a notice posted on the government website of South Korea’s Jeju province. Photo: Future Publishing via Getty Images
Indonesia

Bali hostel poisoning mystery deepens after Chinese traveller’s death

Officials have yet to declare a cause of death, with evidence of both food and fumigation poisoning adding to the uncertainty.

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Chinese tourist Deqing Zhuoga was found dead at the Clandestino Hostel in Canggu, Bali, on September 2. Photos: Facebook / Deqing Zhuoga / Clandestino Hostel
China travel

Snowcapped prosperity: China’s winter sports market glides upwards

Growing participation and government support are fuelling innovation in equipment, expanding domestic resorts, and creating new jobs in China’s ice and snow economy.

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Hong Kong politics

Hong Kong student delegation pulls out of Japan exchange programme amid tensions

Education Bureau cites safety concerns for withdrawal from this year’s Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths Programme.

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China-Japan relations

For Chinese in Japan, life goes on – but with an eye on public sentiment

Chinese report little visible protest activity to date but memories of 2012 China-Japan tension over disputed Diaoyu Islands linger.

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Experts and Chinese on the ground in Japan say China-Japan tension has not reached the heights of 2012 when the two countries were in a row over the Diaoyu Islands. Photo: AP
China travel

‘Limited alternatives’: why Japan will struggle to replace China’s tourists

China is Japan’s top source of international tourists, and Chinese travellers also tend to be big spenders, analysts say.

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Viral stories

Japan cook fends off bear while preparing food, keeps working while covered in blood

Shop manager remarks that it was fortunate the attack occurred on a Sunday when nearby kindergarten was closed.

China stock market

Chinese investors lose US$55 million in Japan ETFs as Tokyo ties hit new low

Beijing backlash over Sanae Takaichi’s Taiwan remarks – including an import ban and a travel warning – drags ETFs tracking Japanese stocks.

A Chinese tour group walks past a Shiseido store in Tokyo on November 17, 2025. Photo: AFP
China-Japan relations

Japan-China row worsens as Beijing threatens more reprisals

China’s new pressure on Japan following Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comments about Taiwan makes it hard to see when bilateral relations will stabilise again.

China’s President Xi Jinping and Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Combination photo: AFP
China travel

As high-speed rail erodes airfares, China’s airlines are stuck in overcapacity

Flight loads have surpassed pre-pandemic levels on high-density routes, but China’s carriers are still struggling to balance their books.

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China-Japan relations

Japanese concerts cancelled in China as diplomatic row takes cultural toll

Fans of Kokia and JO1 left disappointed as diplomatic dust-up over Sanae Takaichi’s comments ripples out into the economy.

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Singapore

Singapore PM hopes China, Japan ‘find ways to resolve’ Taiwan Strait row

Lawrence Wong cites the example of Southeast Asia and Japan, who have ‘put history aside’ and are moving forward.

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Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong during an event earlier this month. Wong has noted that Japan seems inclined to stabilise ties with China and not escalate matters. Photo: EPA/Singapore’s Ministry of Digital Development and Information
China travel

Chinese SOEs ask workers to cancel their Japan holidays amid diplomatic row

Some state-owned enterprises appear to be quietly banning staff from visiting Japan as tensions between Beijing and Tokyo continue to rise.

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A Chinese tour group walks through the Ginza shopping district in Tokyo. China has advised its citizens to avoid travelling to Japan amid a diplomatic row between the two countries. Photo: AFP
International Property

Hong Kong’s Tsim Sha Tsui holds ground as world’s fourth priciest shopping strip

The city’s core retail areas, including Causeway Bay and Central, dominate the Asia-Pacific regional table: Cushman & Wakefield.

China travel

Drop in Chinese tourists could cost Japan US$9.59 billion: economist

Beijing has urged Chinese citizens to refrain from travelling to Japan following comments about Taiwan by new Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi.

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