China struggles to attract international tourists after the pandemic

Tickets to Beijing's Forbidden City sold out in minutes, and the streets and subway stations were packed. But foreign tourists were still few and far between.

Jay Li, a tour guide in Beijing, said that these days, finding 20 to 30 international visitors in the Forbidden City is "considered a lot." And most foreigners came to China after the pandemic for work and then took the opportunity to visit. Current tourist numbers are only 20% of pre-pandemic levels.

A French tourist stands among Chinese tourists as they admire the Forbidden City at sunset on August 12. Photo: Bloomberg

For many travelers, China remains a long way off. The pandemic is over, but the memories linger. Images of deserted streets and barricaded buildings are not appealing to those seeking a relaxing holiday. Difficulty obtaining visas, a lack of flights, private payment systems and language barriers also limit China’s appeal to North American and European travelers.

China's plan to increase international flights by more than 10 times has not helped attract the expected number of visitors, even though before the pandemic the country welcomed about 136 million visitors per year.

James Riley, CEO of Mandarin Oriental Group, said international arrivals into China are currently “very modest.” Aside from some political tensions, tight border controls at the start of the pandemic in early 2020 have led to a sharp decline in air travel.

Another factor that makes China difficult to attract tourists is the use of digital payment platforms specific to the country. Credit cards issued by non-Chinese banks are rarely accepted, and visitors often have difficulty using cash. Businesses, from street stalls to large department stores, only accept local payment systems.

Barbara Kosmun, a Slovenian tourist who visited China this summer, said China’s digital payment system “seems more difficult than before Covid-19.” After five unsuccessful attempts to upload her passport to reactivate her WeChat Pay account, Kosmun was frustrated and asked friends to pay for her.

Confucius Temple, a famous landmark in Nanjing, earlier this year. Photo: People's Daily Online

The People’s Bank of China has urged all local businesses to accept cash, and payment apps WeChat Pay and Alipay have both recently pledged to improve their international card connections. But this isn’t enough to satisfy tourists, as no one is happy when they have trouble spending money.

“China is the friendliest country in the world as long as you speak Chinese, have the right apps and a Chinese bank card,” Kosmun said.

Without local payment platforms installed on smartphones, it is almost impossible for tourists to rent bicycles to get around the city. Booking train tickets is considered a complicated process for many international visitors, especially those who do not speak Chinese.

Getting a visa is also a challenge for many visitors, as they are forced to go to the embassy or application center to wait in line, sometimes for hours, and then have to come back a few days later to pick it up. In Singapore, people have to queue for more than 16 hours to get a visa appointment despite the high fee, according to SCMP . Each American tourist has to spend an average of 185 USD to apply for a visa to enter China.

An analysis on Zhihu, a popular question-and-answer website, received widespread agreement when it emphasized that American tourists are choosing Southeast Asia and Europe and avoiding China because the country has too many barriers for them.

"Unless you have a deep affection for China, this place is definitely not your first choice for travel," the article commented.

Anh Minh (According to Time )

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