China welcomed a record 150 million inbound visits in 2025—up 17 percent year-on-year—Minister of Culture and Tourism Sun Yeli revealed at a press briefing during the National People’s Congress on March 7. Spending by foreign visitors jumped 40 percent to 130 billion USD, thanks in large part to the roll-out of mobile-payment solutions that finally allow international bank cards to link to Alipay and WeChat Pay.
For travelers excited by these developments, securing the right entry documents is still essential. VisaHQ can simplify the visa application process by providing up-to-date guidance, step-by-step document checks, and expedited submission services—learn more at https://www.visahq.com/china/
Sun confirmed that 80 billion yuan (11.6 billion USD) of last year’s tourist outlay was processed via mobile wallets, up ten-fold on 2024 levels. The government now requires all 4A- and 5A-rated attractions, star-rated hotels and duty-free zones to accept foreign cards and to display bilingual quick-pay QR codes. Currency-exchange counters will be installed in every national tourist resort by October.
![Inbound Visits Hit 150 Million as NPC Highlights Payment Reforms for Tourists]()
“Payments used to be the biggest friction point,” said Clare Donnelly, APAC director at travel-management company BCD Travel. “Our surveys show that once clients can settle taxis and meals with the same phone they use at home, trip-approval rates for China rise by double digits.”
The Ministry of Commerce is also piloting instant tax-refund kiosks at Shanghai Pudong and Guangzhou Baiyun airports. Receipts scanned into an app can trigger an RMB, USD or e-wallet refund within 60 seconds—technology that retail groups hope will lift per-capita spend by 15 percent.
Analysts caution that China must keep an eye on fraud controls as transaction volumes soar, but note that the country’s near-universal QR ecosystem offers rich data to flag anomalies in real time.
For travelers excited by these developments, securing the right entry documents is still essential. VisaHQ can simplify the visa application process by providing up-to-date guidance, step-by-step document checks, and expedited submission services—learn more at https://www.visahq.com/china/
Sun confirmed that 80 billion yuan (11.6 billion USD) of last year’s tourist outlay was processed via mobile wallets, up ten-fold on 2024 levels. The government now requires all 4A- and 5A-rated attractions, star-rated hotels and duty-free zones to accept foreign cards and to display bilingual quick-pay QR codes. Currency-exchange counters will be installed in every national tourist resort by October.
“Payments used to be the biggest friction point,” said Clare Donnelly, APAC director at travel-management company BCD Travel. “Our surveys show that once clients can settle taxis and meals with the same phone they use at home, trip-approval rates for China rise by double digits.”
The Ministry of Commerce is also piloting instant tax-refund kiosks at Shanghai Pudong and Guangzhou Baiyun airports. Receipts scanned into an app can trigger an RMB, USD or e-wallet refund within 60 seconds—technology that retail groups hope will lift per-capita spend by 15 percent.
Analysts caution that China must keep an eye on fraud controls as transaction volumes soar, but note that the country’s near-universal QR ecosystem offers rich data to flag anomalies in real time.
