Foreign Arrivals in China Hit 25 Million, Budget Hotels Lead

China welcomed a surge in inbound travel this year, with foreign arrivals reaching nearly 25.6 million in the first eight months, and budget hotels emerging as the preferred choice for many international visitors. Data from China’s National Immigration Administration show that between January and August, 15.89 million foreign nationals entered China visa-free, accounting for 62.1% of all inbound travelers and marking a 52.1% year-on-year increase.

At the same time, the expanding two-way travel flow between Hong Kong and the mainland, with Hong Kong residents traveling north and mainland visitors driving south, is reshaping hotel service models and product strategies across the region.

These shifts were a key focus at TravelDaily China’s Digital Intelligence Conference 2025, Greater Bay Area edition, held in November. A panel titled “How should hotels welcome guests from all directions amid a cross-border travel boom?” brought together TravelDaily CEO Charlie Li, Dossen Group Executive Director and High-end Innovation Division CEO Wei Wu, and Regal Hotels International Senior Vice President of Operations Qinhui Huang. The discussion explored how hotels can adapt products, services, and standard operating procedures to meet the changing needs of mainland travelers, Hong Kong–Macau visitors, and international tourists.

Wei Wu said Dossen Group, which operates more than 2,700 hotels nationwide, hosted over 1.1 million foreign guests in 2024, with that number expected to rise to between 1.2 and 1.3 million this year. Contrary to expectations, Wu noted that the largest share of international guests stayed in the group’s budget hotels rather than its higher-end properties.

In terms of source markets, most foreign guests came from Southeast and South Asia, led by India, followed by Thailand, the Philippines, and other Southeast Asian countries. North and South America followed, while the average length of stay for international visitors was relatively short at around 1.6 days.

From a marketing perspective, Huang highlighted the global reach of TikTok, particularly among younger travelers in the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East. He said Regal Hotels is exploring how to use short-form video, typically 30 to 45 seconds long, to clearly communicate the value of both its properties and Hong Kong as a destination. Content is produced using AI tools and in collaboration with partners and travel agencies, then distributed across TikTok, Xiaohongshu, and the group’s mini-program channels.

Huang stressed that success should not be measured solely by views or engagement. The true test of marketing effectiveness, he said, is whether content influences booking decisions and changes traveler behavior.