CBN Special丨Foreigners in love with Chinese heritage travel

Hello! Welcome to this edition of CBN Friday Special. I’m Stephanie Li.During the just ended Spring Festival, many people may find a noticeable increase of foreign visitors in China, exploring cultural heritage sites as they experience the quintessential beauty and depth of Chinese culture. Folk dances in southern China, puppet shows in the east, and festive temple fairs across the country, in which you would see more foreign faces than ever. With the inclusion of the Spring Festival in UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list, travel this year was marked by a surge in inbound visitors.About 3.4 million tourists entered China during the Chinese New Year holiday, a 6 percent increase from a year ago, according to the culture and tourism ministry. Data from travel platforms also reflected this trend, with inbound tourism bookings on Trip.com growing 203 percent year-on-year during the holiday, while domestic flight bookings on Qunar using non-Chinese passports rose by 70 percent.Foreigners primarily visited the first-tier cities of Shenzhen, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Beijing, followed by Zhuhai, Chengdu, Zhongshan, Harbin, Foshan, and Chongqing.Short-haul bookings from countries such as Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand more than doubled, while the number of long-haul visitors from France, Spain, Italy, Canada, Australia, and other countries surged by nearly 120 percent.China's expanded visa-free travel policies have amplified this cultural exchange, enabling more international travelers to visit China and immerse themselves in the festival's rich customs.For example, Shanghai saw 59,000 inbound trips made by foreigners during the holiday, up 30 percent from the 2024 Spring Festival holiday. Among them, 18,000 international travelers entered visa-free, accounting for 30.5 percent of the total.Xi'an in Shaanxi province, a city steeped in history, emerged as a popular destination for international tourists. The city's entry ports handled 47,000 inbound and outbound trips during the holiday, with daily passenger traffic increasing 84 percent, according to data from the provincial border inspection station.In Northwest China's Xinjiang, foreign visitors were delighted to see the region's unique fusion of winter sports and Chinese Lunar New Year festivities.A Trip.com report revealed a 58 percent increase in international visitors to Xinjiang during the holiday, with the regional capital Urumqi ranking among the top three destinations for ice and snow tourism nationwide.Travel patterns are evolving too. While some foreign travelers enjoy the convenience of big cities, many others find smaller cities and rural areas offer a more immersive cultural experience than metropolitan centers.Data shows that around 51 townships and villages across China welcomed foreign visitors for the first time, following the country's expanded visa-free policies. As a result, lesser-known destinations are gaining traction among international tourists beyond major cities and famous landmarks.Places like Quanzhou in East China's Fujian province, known for its traditional hairpin festival, Chaozhou in Guangdong with its dynamic Yingge folk dance, and Zigong in Sichuan famed for its lantern displays, are emerging as sought-after cultural hotspots.In Chibi, a county-level city in Central China's Hubei province, this year's Spring Festival saw a surge of visitors eager to experience its local cuisine, rich history and vibrant folk performances.Most foreign visitors to Yangloudong, an ancient town in Chibi, come from Southeast Asian countries, drawn by their deep interest in the Three Kingdoms period (220-280) and the region's rich intangible cultural heritage.As nearly 20 nations recognize the Spring Festival as an official holiday and some 200 countries hold celebrations, this cultural event reflects humanity's shared yearning for renewal and connection.Foreign visitors have experienced not just festive fireworks, but the profound values embedded in the tradition: familial bonds that transcend borders, the harmony between humanity and nature, and an emphasis on social cohesion. These values resonate across cultures, dismantle stereotypes and nurture mutual cultural appreciation.Fresh in 2025, we have already witnessed waves after waves of “China Impact” in the global arena, brought by authentic Chinese technology, culture and innovation.From drones to electric vehicles, from TikTok to Xiaohongshu, from “Black Myth: Wukong“ to DeepSeek, and “Ne Zha 2,” the reason these products from different fields have been able to break through visible or invisible barriers and create an international buzz lies in the strong demand for exchanges in trade, culture, and public opinion between China and the world.At the same time, the outstanding quality of these products can be attributed to the vast market demand and the continuously improving industry environment fostered by mutual learning and China's openness. For instance, Chinese animated blockbuster “Ne Zha 2” is, in fact, the latest "creation" born from the globalized melting pot of the animation industry, embodying the collective wisdom of modern animated art. This is the true essence of civilizational exchange and mutual learning.Looking outward, foreigners are getting into Chinese traditional culture through cultural heritages. They try out the lifestyles of Chinese people through "China Travel" and Xiaohongshu. This attraction reflects a universal longing for a better life shared by people around the world.