On January 28, the 44th Madrid International Tourism Trade Fair (FITUR) concluded its five-day run in the capital of Spain. 806 exhibitors and more than 9,000 enterprises from 152 countries and regions participated in the event. On the occasion, the participants focused on issues such as global tourism innovation and sustainable development, and shared new trends and dynamics in the sector. They spoke highly of China’s recent visa-free arrangement with many countries, expecting China to inject greater impetus into the global tourism industry.

The exhibition booth of China at the center of Hall 6, with prominent signs of China’s tourism slogan “Nihao! China”, was packed with inquiring visitors. The booth, covering 130 square meters, consisted of 12 exhibition stands of multiple Chinese provinces, municipalities, airlines, and tourism enterprises, showcasing a wide range of Chinese travel products and routes.

Recently, China has implemented agreements on mutual visa exemption for ordinary passport holders with Singapore and Thailand respectively, and introduced a unilateral visa-free policy for France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia. China’s move has received wide attention and positive comments from the tourism industry.

During the exhibition, the World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF) organized a forum on the theme of “New Development of China’s Inbound and Outbound Tourism Market”, in which delegates shared their insights on the theme topic and discussed how to further tap into the Chinese market and attract Chinese tourists.

According to the World Tourism Barometer recently released by the UN Tourism, by the end of 2023, the number of international trips was projected to total 1.3 billion, returning to 88% of pre-pandemic levels. The report notes that the recovery and growth of the Chinese tourism market is a driver of the recovery in the global tourism market. China’s outbound and inbound tourism is expected to witness faster growth in 2024 thanks to visa facilitation and increased air capacity. Natalia Bayona, the UN Tourism Executive Director, said China’s visa-free policy demonstrates the country’s faith and confidence in the global tourism industry, and will help drive a rebound globally