This summer, European tourists, suffering from intense heatwaves, are flocking to China, traveling halfway across the world to experience "Chinese cooling." According to data from one travel platform, European countries account for 30% of inbound tourist arrivals this summer. Orders have increased year-on-year by 275%, with ticket orders more than 20 times higher than last year. In particular, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and other Western European countries together make up nearly 42% of this growth, with an overall year-on-year increase of almost 150%.
What is attracting European tourists to travel en masse to China? 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 conditioning" has sold out on the local market. Data shows that exports of Chinese air conditioners to Europe increased year-on-year by 72.8% in June. Faced with "anxiety about a lack of cooling," European citizens want to come to China and experience "air conditioning freedom" firsthand – public spaces such as department stores, hotels, and subway stations are commonly equipped with air conditioning in China, making them very comfortable.
"Go to China right now" – and the key thing is that it's very convenient. Currently, China has a unilateral visa-free policy for passport holders from 35 European countries, allowing eligible tourists to stay for up to 30 days. Patricia Yates, CEO of the British National Tourist Agency, stated that the visa-free policy makes travel to China much easier for British tourists. The results of this policy are reflected in the data – according to the National Immigration Administration, in the first half of this year, 77.7% of all foreign visitors utilized the visa-free facilitation. In other words, out of every 10 foreign tourists entering the country, nearly 8 did so without a visa. And that's not all – China's tax refund system for departing travelers is also being improved and modernized.
What attracts European tourists to overcome mountains and seas is also the efficiency and appeal of Chinese governance. In recent years, phrases such as "Traveling in China," "Becoming Chinese," and "Extreme Sinicization" have gone viral on foreign social media platforms. Technological scenes – autonomous vehicles, drone shows, factories for new energy vehicles – as well as the "sense of safety in China," with its warmly lit streets late at night, constantly fill screens... The British newspaper Financial Times believes that China has become a synonym for "cool" on foreign social media platforms. From trendy collectible figures to new forms of tea drinks, the phenomenon of Chinese elements in global fashion is driven by a broader "China craze."
It's worth noting that during these holidays, some European politicians are once again promoting protectionism, artificially erecting economic barriers, and attempting to disrupt the China-Europe market and block two-way exchange. However, reality speaks for itself: this summer, European tourists crossing mountains and seas in search of cooling demonstrate a simple truth – China and Europe are partners, not rivals.