China is on track to reclaim its position as the world’s largest outbound travel market in 2026, with spending forecast to surge by 22.5% to nearly US$280 billion according to a new report from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).
The 2026 Economic Impact Research data explains that China will surpass the United States for top spot this year while also sitting second for business travel spending at US$192 billion, “reinforcing its global influence across corporate segments.”
As such, China is playing a pivotal role in accelerating growth across the global travel and tourism landscape.
Outbound tourism aside, the report’s primary focus is China’s inbound tourism industry, which WTTC observes is undergoing a phase of accelerated expansion, positioning it as a strong example of sustained tourism growth and placing the country firmly on track to become the world’s leading travel and tourism economy in the coming years if current trends continue.
It notes that China welcomed more than 68 million international visitors in 2025, representing a 15.5% year-on-year increase – nearly three times the global growth rate of 5.4% – while international visitor spending rose by 10.5% to US$135 billion. This exceeded pre-pandemic levels and significantly outperforming the global average growth of 3.2%. The country recorded an additional 9 million arrivals compared to 2024, representing the largest increase globally.
Gloria Guevara, President and CEO of WTTC, said, “China’s recovery shows how targeted policy reforms can translate directly into stronger inbound demand and sustained growth. Continued progress in visa facilitation will be essential to sustaining this momentum. This approach, over time, could position China to become the world’s leading Travel & Tourism if they continue with this path.”
China is also playing a central role in propelling Asia-Pacific to become the fastest-growing travel and tourism region in the world, achieving 8.1% growth last year.
According to WTTC, the recovery is being driven by a combination of progressive policy reforms and technological innovation, supported by the strong strategic vision of the Government of China in positioning travel and tourism as a key pillar of national economic growth.
This includes expanded visa facilitation measures which now cover more than 50 countries, offering visa-free stays of up to 30 days and extended transit stays of up to 10 days. Since 2020, arrivals from visa-exempt markets have increased fivefold, including an additional 18% growth in 2025 alone, the report shows.
Similarly, China is enhancing the visitor experience through seamless travel initiatives, including the rollout of biometric systems at entry points and the widespread adoption of advanced digital payment platforms, enabling a smoother end-to-end journey for international travellers.
Such is the rate of China’s inbound tourism market, the country is expected to generate one in five new tourism jobs globally by 2036. Tourism growth is projected to increase by 5.3% in 2026 and have an average annual growth rate of 6.5% over the next decade. By 2036, the sector is expected to nearly double in size to US$3.5 trillion, underlining its long-term strategic importance, the report claims.
“Employment remains central to this growth story, with travel and tourism supporting 84.6 million jobs in 2025 and expected to exceed 103 million by 2036, accounting for one in every five new tourism jobs globally during the next decade,” the WTTC says.
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