Foreign tourists go deep into small Chinese cities to "sweep goods" and check in: niche destinations become new favorites
With the comprehensive recovery of China's tourism market and the improvement of internationalization, an interesting phenomenon has emerged this summer: more and more foreign tourists are no longer limited to traditional big cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, but are going deep into third- and fourth-tier cities and even county towns to start a "sweeping-in" check-in experience. Behind this trend is the promotion of social media communication, and it also reflects the diversified development of China's cultural and tourism industry.
1. Pivot: Foreign tourists' small town travel growth significantly
| City Type | The proportion of foreign tourists during the summer 2023 | The proportion of foreign tourists during the summer 2024 | Year-on-year growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-tier cities | 78% | 65% | -13% |
| Second-tier cities | 15% | twenty two% | +7% |
| Third and fourth tier and county town | 7% | 13% | +6% |
It can be seen from the data that the trend of foreign tourists diversion to low-tier cities is obvious. According to a sample survey by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, about 62% of foreign tourists said they "want to experience a more authentic Chinese life", and small towns just can meet this demand.
2. Top 5 popular check-in places
| Ranking | City | Featured Attraction | Visitor growth rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tongxiang, Zhejiang | Experience in the production of intangible cultural heritage workshops and blue printed cloths around Wuzhen | 320% |
| 2 | Yunnan Jianshui | Ancient method of purple pottery making and rice rail train | 280% |
| 3 | Fujian Xiapu | Tidal flat photography, kelp harvest season | 250% |
| 4 | Zhaoxing, Guizhou | Dong ethnic songs and batik crafts | 210% |
| 5 | Zhengding, Hebei | Ancient buildings and Changshan war drum performance | 190% |
3. Interpretation of the phenomenon: Why is it a small city?
1.Price-performance advantages highlight: Compared with big cities, the average accommodation cost in small towns is 40%-60% lower, and the price of handmade products is only 1/3 of the price of scenic spots.
2.The butterfly effect of social media: The #RealChina topic on TikTok has been viewed more than 500 million times, and the "niche check-in places" shared by many foreign bloggers have formed fission spread.
3.Policies favorable: The 144-hour transit visa-free policy covers more second- and third-tier cities. The number of overseas card bindings of Alipay/WeChat payments increased by 200% year-on-year, and the convenience of payment has been greatly improved.
4. Typical case: The morning of Tongxiang Blue Printing Cloth Workshop
In a traditional workshop in Tongxiang, Zhejiang, you can see more than a dozen tourists of different skin colors learning azuo dye skills from the master at 8 am. Claire from France told reporters: "I can't buy such pure handmade products in Paris at all. I plan to take them back for wedding souvenirs." The head of the workshop said that the number of foreign guests received during this summer this summer was four times that of the same period last year, and English guides had to be added.
V. Analysis of consumption characteristics
| Type of consumption | Percentage | Average consumption (RMB) | Examples of popular products |
|---|---|---|---|
| Handicrafts | 45% | RMB 680 | Miao Yin Jewelry and Su embroidery fan |
| Local delicacies | 30% | RMB 350 | Xuanwei Ham, ancient soy sauce |
| Cultural experience | 15% | RMB 520 | Tea ceremony courses, guqin trial study |
| other | 10% | RMB 240 | Cultural and creative peripherals and dialect manuals |
6. Industry impact and future prospects
This phenomenon is reshaping China's tourism industry chain. Multiple online travel platforms have added "Nius Secret Realm" zones, and the number of rural homestay bookings on Airbnb has increased by 170% year-on-year. Experts predict that with the extension of China's high-speed rail network and the improvement of county-level tourism supporting facilities, the scale of "sinking tourism" for foreign tourists is expected to exceed one million annually in the next 3-5 years.
It is worth noting that this in-depth travel model also puts forward new requirements for local service levels. The director of the Cultural and Tourism Bureau of a certain county town admitted: "We are urgently training foreign service personnel, and even the electronic scales of the vegetable market have been equipped with multi-language switching functions." This "small town boom" brought by foreign tourists is becoming a new window to observe China's cultural confidence and industrial upgrading.
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