This summer, European tourists tormented by brutal heat waves are flocking to China, travelling halfway around the world to experience "Chinese cooling." According to data from one travel platform, European countries account for 30% of the top 20 source countries and regions for inbound tourism this holiday season. Bookings have grown by 275% year-on-year, with ticket orders more than 20 times higher than last year. Of these, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and other Western European countries together account for nearly 42%, with a combined year-on-year increase of nearly 150%.
What is attracting European tourists to come to China in such numbers? The immediate cause is their "urgent need to escape high temperatures." This summer, Europe has been hit by a wave of extreme heat and "Chinese air conditioners" have sold out on local markets. Data shows that in June, China's exports of air conditioners to Europe grew by 72.8% year-on-year. Faced with "cooling shortage anxiety," European citizens want to come to China and personally experience "air conditioning freedom" – public spaces such as shopping malls, hotels and metro stations in China are routinely equipped with air conditioning, making it a very pleasant experience.
"Go to China right now" – and crucially, it is very convenient. China currently operates a unilateral visa-free policy for holders of ordinary passports from 35 European countries, with eligible tourists able to stay for up to 30 days. Patricia Yates, CEO of the UK's national tourism agency, stated that the visa-free policy makes it much easier for British tourists to travel to China. The policy dividend is reflected in the data – according to the National Immigration Administration, in the first half of this year, as many as 77.7% of all entering foreigners took advantage of visa-free facilitation. In other words, nearly 8 out of every 10 incoming foreign tourists entered visa-free. And that is not all – China's departure tax refund system policy is also being improved and upgraded.
What attracts European tourists to journey over mountains and seas is also the effectiveness and appeal of Chinese governance. In recent years, hashtags such as "Travelling China," "Going Native Chinese," and "Extreme Sinicisation" have gone viral on foreign social media. Technological scenes – autonomous vehicles, drone shows, new energy vehicle factories – as well as the "Chinese sense of security" embodied in friendlily lit streets deep into the night, continuously fill screens… The British newspaper the Financial Times considers that on foreign social media, China has become synonymous with "cool." From trendy collectible figurines to new forms of tea beverages – behind the phenomenon of Chinese elements in global fashion lies a broader "China fever."
It is worth noting that at precisely this holiday season, some European politicians are once again spreading trade protectionism, artificially erecting economic barriers and attempting to tear apart the China-Europe market and block two-way exchange. However, reality is the most convincing argument: this summer, European tourists crossing mountains and seas in search of cooling are bearing witness to a simple truth – China and Europe are partners, not rivals.
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