China received roughly 35–41 million foreign visitors in 2025, which is actually close to Thailand (~33 million) and not far behind Japan (~42.7 million).
However, many travelers still feel that China underperforms relative to its size, population, history, and number of world-famous attractions.
Expectations Are Much Higher for China
China has:
1.4 billion people
Thousands of years of history
Numerous UNESCO sites
Major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Xi'an
Many people would expect China to attract 60–100 million foreign visitors annually, similar to top tourism countries.
So when China receives around 35–41 million visitors, some observers view that as lower than expected.
Japan Has a Stronger Tourism Brand
Many international travelers immediately recognize:
Tokyo
Kyoto
Osaka
Mount Fuji
Japan has spent decades building a very strong image around:
Safety
Cleanliness
Convenience
Food
Culture
This makes it an easy choice for first-time visitors.
A beach vacation appeals to a very broad global audience.
Language and Digital Ecosystem
A common complaint from foreign travelers is that China can require more preparation:
Alipay setup
WeChat setup
Local apps
VPN needs for some services
Language barriers outside major tourist areas
Travelers discussing China frequently mention these issues.
Japan and Thailand are often perceived as easier for independent travelers.
International Image and Geopolitics
Some potential visitors are influenced by:
Political tensions
Media coverage
Concerns about regulations
Concerns about internet access
Analyses from Reuters, Bloomberg, and others note that geopolitical concerns have discouraged some Western travelers.
China Relies Less on Foreign Tourism
This may be the biggest structural difference.
China's tourism market is dominated by domestic travel:
Over 6 billion domestic trips annually.
Foreign tourism is a relatively small share of the overall market.
Japan and Thailand place much greater emphasis on attracting international visitors.
China Is Recovering
An important point:
China's foreign tourism numbers have been rising rapidly after visa-free expansion.
China significantly relaxed visa rules for dozens of countries, and foreign arrivals increased sharply.
Many analysts believe China will continue gaining visitors if:
More flights return
Visa-free policies expand
Payment systems become easier for foreigners
Comparison Summary (2025)
Factor Japan Thailand China
Foreign visitors ~42.7M ~33M ~35–41M
Famous for Culture + modern cities Beaches + resorts History + culture + cities
Ease for first-time tourists Very high High Moderate
English accessibility Good Good in tourist areas More limited
Domestic tourism dependence Moderate Moderate Extremely high
Visa policies Open Open Recently liberalized
The key takeaway is that China's foreign visitor numbers are no longer dramatically lower than Thailand's, but many analysts believe they are still lower than one might expect given China's size, historical attractions, and economic importance. The most commonly cited reasons are ease of travel, language and app barriers, international perceptions, and China's historical focus on domestic rather than foreign tourism.
2025年，中国接待外国游客量约为35-4100万人次，实际上接近泰国（约3300万），与日本（约4270万）相差不远。
然而，许多游客仍然认为，相对于其面积、人口、历史和世界著名景点的数量，中国表现不佳。
中国有：
14亿人
已有数千年的历史
众多联合国教科文组织遗址
北京、上海、西安等主要城市
许多人预计中国每年将吸引 60 至 1 亿外国游客，与顶级旅游国家类似。
因此，当中国接待大约 35-4100 万游客时，一些观察家认为这个数字低于预期。
2.日本拥有更强的旅游品牌
许多国际旅行者立即认识到：
东京
京都
大阪
富士山
日本花了几十年的时间打造了一个非常强大的形象：
安全
清洁度
方便
食品
文化
这使得它成为首次访问者的简单选择。
泰国吸引游客寻找：
热带海滩
度假村
天气温暖
经济实惠的假期
夜生活
热门目的地包括：
曼谷
普吉岛
芭堤雅
清迈
海滩度假吸引了非常广泛的全球受众。
外国游客的一个常见抱怨是中国需要更多准备：
支付宝设置
微信设置
本地应用程序
某些服务需要 VPN
主要旅游区之外的语言障碍
讨论中国的旅行者经常提到这些问题。
人们通常认为日本和泰国对于自由行游客来说更容易。
一些潜在访客受到以下因素的影响：
政治紧张局势
媒体报道
对法规的担忧
对互联网接入的担忧
路透社、彭博社和其他机构的分析指出，地缘政治担忧令一些西方游客望而却步。
6.中国对外国旅游业的依赖程度较低
这可能是最大的结构性差异。
中国旅游市场以国内游为主：
每年国内旅行超过60亿人次。
国外旅游在整个市场中所占的份额相对较小。
日本和泰国更加重视吸引国际游客。
7.中国正在复苏
重要的一点：
免签政策扩大后，中国出境旅游人数快速增长。
中国大幅放宽了数十个国家的签证规定，外国游客大幅增加。
许多分析师认为，如果满足以下条件，中国将继续吸引游客：
更多航班返程
免签政策扩大
支付系统对外国人来说变得更容易
比较总结（2025）
日本 泰国 中国
外国游客 ~42.7M ~33M ~35–41M
以文化+现代城市闻名 海滩+度假村 历史+文化+城市
初次游客的轻松程度 非常高 高 中等
英语无障碍 良好 旅游区良好 较为有限
国内旅游依存度 中等 中等 极高
签证政策 开放 开放 近期放开
关键的结论是，中国的外国游客数量不再大幅低于泰国，但许多分析人士认为，考虑到中国的幅员、历史景点和经济重要性，这一数字仍然低于人们的预期。最常提到的原因是旅行便利性、语言和应用程序障碍、国际观念以及中国历来注重国内旅游而不是国外旅游。
China received roughly 35–41 million foreign visitors in 2025, which is actually close to Thailand (~33 million) and not far behind Japan (~42.7 million).
However, many travelers still feel that China underperforms relative to its size, population, history, and number of world-famous attractions.
China has:
1.4 billion people
Thousands of years of history
Numerous UNESCO sites
Major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Xi'an
Many people would expect China to attract 60–100 million foreign visitors annually, similar to top tourism countries.
So when China receives around 35–41 million visitors, some observers view that as lower than expected.
Many international travelers immediately recognize:
Tokyo
Kyoto
Osaka
Mount Fuji
Japan has spent decades building a very strong image around:
Safety
Cleanliness
Convenience
Food
Culture
This makes it an easy choice for first-time visitors.
Thailand attracts visitors looking for:
Tropical beaches
Resorts
Warm weather
Affordable vacations
Nightlife
Popular destinations include:
Bangkok
Phuket
Pattaya
Chiang Mai
A beach vacation appeals to a very broad global audience.
A common complaint from foreign travelers is that China can require more preparation:
Alipay setup
WeChat setup
Local apps
VPN needs for some services
Language barriers outside major tourist areas
Travelers discussing China frequently mention these issues.
Japan and Thailand are often perceived as easier for independent travelers.
Some potential visitors are influenced by:
Political tensions
Media coverage
Concerns about regulations
Concerns about internet access
Analyses from Reuters, Bloomberg, and others note that geopolitical concerns have discouraged some Western travelers.
This may be the biggest structural difference.
China's tourism market is dominated by domestic travel:
Over 6 billion domestic trips annually.
Foreign tourism is a relatively small share of the overall market.
Japan and Thailand place much greater emphasis on attracting international visitors.
An important point:
China's foreign tourism numbers have been rising rapidly after visa-free expansion.
China significantly relaxed visa rules for dozens of countries, and foreign arrivals increased sharply.
Many analysts believe China will continue gaining visitors if:
More flights return
Visa-free policies expand
Payment systems become easier for foreigners
Comparison Summary (2025)
Factor Japan Thailand China
Foreign visitors ~42.7M ~33M ~35–41M
Famous for Culture + modern cities Beaches + resorts History + culture + cities
Ease for first-time tourists Very high High Moderate
English accessibility Good Good in tourist areas More limited
Domestic tourism dependence Moderate Moderate Extremely high
Visa policies Open Open Recently liberalized
The key takeaway is that China's foreign visitor numbers are no longer dramatically lower than Thailand's, but many analysts believe they are still lower than one might expect given China's size, historical attractions, and economic importance. The most commonly cited reasons are ease of travel, language and app barriers, international perceptions, and China's historical focus on domestic rather than foreign tourism.