Cultural immersion draws foreign tourists

The surge of foreign visitors to China is reshaping the economics of the country's hotel industry, with operators increasingly defining inbound tourists as "high-value customer segments" due to their distinct booking behaviors and spending patterns.

Li Yukai, chief operating officer of Elong Hotel Technology, crunched the numbers behind the transformation. Foreign tourists typically book rooms more than 15 days in advance, compared with just three to seven days for domestic travelers. This advance commitment alters hotel revenue management dynamics.

"When a portion of rooms are locked in early by foreign guests, hotels gain significantly greater confidence in subsequent pricing decisions," Li said. "There's no need to discount in advance to drive occupancy — operators can hold firm and even raise rates incrementally."

This pricing power translates directly to bottom-line performance. At Shanghai Elong Hotel, foreign guest volume surged more than 300 percent in 2025, driving average daily rates up 12 percent and boosting overall revenue by 15 percent, according to property-level data.

Fu, from Renaissance Beijing Wangfujing Hotel, also said foreign guests are more willing to pay for experiences. During the Spring Festival holiday, the hotel's family rooms offering views of the Forbidden City sold out 15 days in advance.

The spending differential extends well beyond room rates. Fu observed that European and US guests' habits create significant incremental revenue for hotel food and beverage operations.

"Domestic guests return from a day of sightseeing exhausted and go straight to rest," he said. "But international guests would head to the bar for an evening drink. The boost to bar consumption is very significant."

Perhaps most strategically valuable, inbound tourism helps fill gaps in domestic travel patterns. The timing of foreign holidays complements China's domestic tourism calendar, creating more balanced occupancy throughout the year.

"Spring Festival is soon followed by Easter," Fu said. "The cycle of overseas long holidays forms a complementarity with China's holiday schedule."

Despite the explosive growth of inbound tourism during the recent Spring Festival holiday, industry insiders remain cautious about persistent challenges that must be addressed to sustain momentum.

James Liang, cofounder and chairman of Trip.com Group, said inbound tourism destinations are extending from first-tier cities into the broad hinterland. However, information gaps persist. "How to travel in these cities, what preparations should be made to receive foreign guests — this information is still lacking," he added.

Vice-Minister of Commerce Sheng Qiuping said during a news conference in February that localities are encouraged to introduce multilingual folklore maps, designed to help foreign travelers easily locate and access iconic experiences such as traditional temple fairs, time-honored brand shops and intangible cultural heritage markets.