Opinion | Improving service quality is crucial for China's future inbound tourism development

China's inbound tourism market holds immense potential, driven by continued policy optimization that aims to ease access for international travelers and improve the overall travel experience across the country, said Cai Tongjuan, Director of the Macro Research Department and Research Fellow of the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies (RDCY).

In an interview with China Youth Daily, Cai put forward some suggestions on how to promote the continued high-quality development of China's inbound tourism market. She said that long-term growth in China's inbound tourism can only be achieved through collaboration between the government, enterprises and communities, combining efficient operations with innovative experiences.

"Improving service quality and the tourist experience is crucial," Cai said, adding that while improving hardware facilities is important, service quality is the core factor in attracting and retaining tourists. She added that improving the entire service chain, from reception to tour guides, catering and accommodation — especially with regard to language communication, information guidance and attention to detail — would enable foreign tourists to enjoy a better experience. Cai also noted that tourism safety, complaint handling and other guarantees need to be strengthened to enhance tourists' trust.

Cai also noted that convenience should be improved further. Although visa policies have been greatly optimized，for example, the 240-hour transit visa exemption, payment, communication and other supporting facilities still need improvement. Currently, only some key tourist attractions have foreign card POS machine coverage. It is recommended that this coverage be expanded to small and medium-sized cities and that multilingual services be optimized, such as AI translation and bilingual guides.

Precision marketing and international communication also should be improved. Cai said that overseas social media platforms such as TikTok should be used to showcase the true diversity of China, and that international KOLs should be invited to experience the niche route. (By Ma Ziqian/China Youth Daily)