TOPIC

Chinese tourists

Chinese tourists
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Chinese tourists. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
A large crowd of tourists walks through a street in Seoul. South Korea is expected to receive an uptick in Chinese tourism over the coming months. Photo: Reuters
China travel

Why South Korea is becoming China’s new bargain travel hotspot amid Japan spat

A slump in the won is making South Korea increasingly affordable for mainland tourists just as China warns against travel to Japan.

videocam
Mainland China

China-led Asia-Pacific lifts global aviation outlook as profits set to soar

Hong Kong society

Hong Kong tourist arrested in Japan after crashing rental car, injuring driver

United States

US plans to order foreign tourists to disclose social media histories

The move requires tourists from 42 nations to share five-year social media history, igniting privacy debates and free speech worries.

9
View of a giant American flag inside Terminal 1 at JFK airport in New York. Photo: Shutterstock
Malaysia

Chinese tourist’s Penang panda mural that drew criticism turns crowd-puller

Local officials review an application to keep the unauthorised artwork at Chew Jetty intact after ordering the painting to be removed.

South Korea

Chinese tourists pivot to South Korea, Thailand amid Japan travel ban

Spat began when Japan’s PM Sanae Takaichi suggested potential military intervention in Taiwan Strait, leading Beijing to issue a travel warning.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Malaysia

Penang set to scoop up Chinese tourists skipping Japan, Thailand’s Hat Yai

Penang anticipates a surge in year-end visitors, with events and food-driven itineraries boosting hotel bookings.

videocam
Tourists visit George Town in Malaysia’s Penang state. Photo: Shutterstock
China travel

1,900 China-Japan flights cancelled in December as political row continues

Airlines have now scrapped over 40 per cent of their China-Japan flights scheduled for this month amid a diplomatic spat over Taiwan.

videocam
6
China trade

From immigration to investments: China’s middle class is unwinding bets on Japan

Popular destination for capital feels the chill, with cruise lines cancelling trips, investors selling property and parents questioning if it is safe to send students.

videocam
12
Singapore

Singapore becomes Plan B for Chinese travellers giving Japan a wide berth

Beijing’s call to boycott Japan after Sanae Takaichi’s remarks is benefiting Southeast Asian countries, travel agents say.

21
Tourists take photos with the Merlion statue in Singapore. Chinese visitors say the city state is an “easy and comfortable” travel destination. Photo: Reuters
Japan

Opinion | Why Chinese are cancelling their trips to Japan

The Japanese prime minister crossed a red line and reopened old wounds in employing language that echoed rhetoric used by imperial Japan to justify invasion.

videocam
17
Chinese tourists visit the Sensoji temple in the Asakusa district of Tokyo on November 20. Many Chinese have chosen to cancel their trips to Japan after Beijing issued a travel advisory. Photo: AP
China travel

Chinese tourism to Russia soars as travellers pivot from under-fire Japan

Chinese travel firms have seen a surge in Russia-related bookings in recent weeks, as tourists continue to avoid Japan amid a diplomatic row.

videocam
15
Thailand

Thailand to curb repeat visa-free entries amid rise in scams, illegal work

Around 2,900 foreigners have been barred by Thailand so far this year due to their multiple short-term entries.

Trending in China

Italian eatery owner slammed for insulting 16 Taiwan tourists for sharing 5 pizzas

An Italian chef tells media that one reason for owner’s irritation might be because it is common for customers to order one pizza per person.

6
An Italian restaurant owner faced backlash after verbally abusing 16 Taiwanese tourists for only ordering five pizzas. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/X.com
China-Japan relations

What economic cards will China play with Japan? Analysts see dilemma in the row

Beijing seen balancing need to retaliate against Tokyo with risk of alienating foreign investors; experts expect cautious strategy.

videocam
36
A woman walks past a Japanese restaurant in Beijing on November 19. China has reportedly reimposed an import ban on Japanese seafood just weeks after lifting it. Photo: AFP
China travel

Chinese airlines cancel flights on 12 Japan routes as tensions continue to rise

The carriers had already received refund requests for hundreds of thousands of flight bookings to Japan amid a growing diplomatic row.

videocam
17
Japan

The View | Takaichi’s nationalism and fiscal stimulus test Japan’s property market

Despite market pressures, cost-of-living concerns and the diplomatic row with China, other factors have a strong bearing on the nation’s real estate.

videocam
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Asia travel

Chinese cruise ship to Japan diverts to South Korea amid China-Japan spat

Chinese cruise operators are looking to avoid Japanese ports amid rising tensions, which is expected to spur tourism demand for South Korea.

Adora Cruises’ Adora Magic City is pictured in Shanghai in 2024. The Chinese cruise ship has changed its schedule for December to avoid stopping at the Japanese ports of Fukuoka, Sasebo and Nagasaki as planned, according to a notice posted on the government website of South Korea’s Jeju province. Photo: Future Publishing via Getty Images
Indonesia

Bali hostel poisoning mystery deepens after Chinese traveller’s death

Officials have yet to declare a cause of death, with evidence of both food and fumigation poisoning adding to the uncertainty.

videocam
China travel

Snowcapped prosperity: China’s winter sports market glides upwards

Growing participation and government support are fuelling innovation in equipment, expanding domestic resorts, and creating new jobs in China’s ice and snow economy.

videocam
Hong Kong politics

Hong Kong student delegation pulls out of Japan exchange programme amid tensions

Education Bureau cites safety concerns for withdrawal from this year’s Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths Programme.

26
Tourists visit Sensoji Temple in Tokyo’s Asakusa district. The Education Bureau has confirmed that Hong Kong will withdraw from a student exchange programme this year. Photo: AFP
China-Japan relations

For Chinese in Japan, life goes on – but with an eye on public sentiment

Chinese report little visible protest activity to date but memories of 2012 China-Japan tension over disputed Diaoyu Islands linger.

videocam
Experts and Chinese on the ground in Japan say China-Japan tension has not reached the heights of 2012 when the two countries were in a row over the Diaoyu Islands. Photo: AP
China travel

‘Limited alternatives’: why Japan will struggle to replace China’s tourists

China is Japan’s top source of international tourists, and Chinese travellers also tend to be big spenders, analysts say.

videocam
31
Viral stories

Japan cook fends off bear while preparing food, keeps working while covered in blood

Shop manager remarks that it was fortunate the attack occurred on a Sunday when nearby kindergarten was closed.

China stock market

Chinese investors lose US$55 million in Japan ETFs as Tokyo ties hit new low

Beijing backlash over Sanae Takaichi’s Taiwan remarks – including an import ban and a travel warning – drags ETFs tracking Japanese stocks.

A Chinese tour group walks past a Shiseido store in Tokyo on November 17, 2025. Photo: AFP
China-Japan relations

Japan-China row worsens as Beijing threatens more reprisals

China’s new pressure on Japan following Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comments about Taiwan makes it hard to see when bilateral relations will stabilise again.

China’s President Xi Jinping and Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Combination photo: AFP
China travel

As high-speed rail erodes airfares, China’s airlines are stuck in overcapacity

Flight loads have surpassed pre-pandemic levels on high-density routes, but China’s carriers are still struggling to balance their books.

videocam
15
China-Japan relations

Japanese concerts cancelled in China as diplomatic row takes cultural toll

Fans of Kokia and JO1 left disappointed as diplomatic dust-up over Sanae Takaichi’s comments ripples out into the economy.

videocam
22
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.
SUPPORT NOW
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement