La Jornada: Domestic tourism strengthens China

Beijing. China ranges from the most futuristic pictures – colonies of impossible skyscrapers that can be admired during the day and, above all, at night when they are dressed as a huge projector of lights that look like fireworks – to the most paradigmatic destinations due to their antiquity (the Chinese Wall, the Forbidden City or the Army of the Terracotta Warriors). And while it is one of the main destinations for international tourism, its domestic market itself is a huge and increasingly growing driver for its economy.

With the largest middle class in the world and at least 30 thousand “sites of interest” and almost 400 5A tourist destinations – the highest classification given by the government to its attractions – in 2025, the Chinese made more than 6.5 billion internal trips, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. That number exceeds several times the 168 million who decided to vacation outside the country.

This figure not only measures tourist activity itself, but also internal displacements. However, it implies an increase of 16 percent compared to what was registered in 2024. And, to make a comparison, it is also 59 times the number of domestic tourism that was registered in Mexico last year.

The rivers of people who stand at the Meridian Gate (Wumen in Chinese) of the Forbidden City are just proof of the fact. And that’s just to mention one of the most convenient destinations in a country whose territory is practically equivalent to all of Europe.

Some of the sites that are most visited by local visitors are the Forbidden City and the Great Wall, in Beijing; the Terracotta Army in Xi’an and Dunhuang in Gansu; the natural landscapes of Zhangjiajie (Hunan), Jiuzhaigou (Sichuan), Guilin (Guangxi) and Huangshan (Anhui); and modern, hyper-futuristic cities such as Shanghai, Chengdu and Sanya, as well as ancient towns such as Lijiang, Dali (Yunnan), Fenghuang (Hunan) and the villages of Xiangxi.

“Historical and cultural sites are the essence of Chinese tourism. They are symbols that strengthen Chinese national identity and cultural pride, and that treasure our 5,000 years of history, civilization and cultural roots. Visiting them helps us understand our history, culture and common heritage,” Min Su, PhD in Tourism Management from Tsinghua University, said in an interview.

Only during the Spring Festival weekend – from February 15 to 23 – China recorded 596 million domestic trips and tourist spending exceeded 800 billion yuan (around 2 trillion pesos), according to a statement from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

“Tourism is defined as a sector of sustenance and well-being, and constitutes a fundamental political tool to promote economic growth, rural revitalization, urban modernization, cultural preservation and the expansion of domestic demand,” explained the specialist in an interview with this medium.

He explained that according to projections, the added value of tourism and related industries reached between 4.7 and 4.9 percent of China’s gross domestic product (GDP), including spending by international tourists. Of the total retail sales of consumer goods, domestic tourism contributed 6.3 trillion yuan (16.01 trillion pesos), accounting for about 12.6 percent.