Summary

WTTC says China is poised to become the world’s leading travel and tourism economy as the sector rebounds. China welcomed more than 68 million international visitors in 2025, while travel and tourism expanded to $1.8 trillion and outbound spending is forecast to reach $280 billion in 2026.

For destination organisations, the signal is that global tourism demand gravity is shifting back toward China. Destinations without a clear China strategy risk missing both inbound recovery and renewed outbound spending growth.

Key Insights

• China is recovering faster than the global average International visitors rose 15.5% in 2025, nearly three times global growth.
• Outbound spending is set to lead globally China may surpass the US as the largest outbound travel market in 2026.
• Visa facilitation is supporting recovery Visa-free access and entry-point digital upgrades reduce friction for inbound visitors.
• China’s scale creates concentration risk Policy or geopolitical shocks affecting Chinese travel can quickly reshape global demand.

Implications & Actions for Destination Organisations

• Rebuild China market strategies DMOs should refresh channel, aviation, language and trade plans for Chinese visitors.
• Audit Chinese visitor readiness Payments, Mandarin services, Chinese social platforms and OTA distribution are essential.
• Monitor policy signals closely Outbound facilitation or restrictions will materially affect demand forecasts.
• Balance opportunity with diversification China is too large to ignore, but destinations should avoid overdependence on one source market.