“Becoming a Chinese” Goes Viral, Boosting China’s Inbound Tourism

The hashtag “Becoming a Chinese” has recently taken social media by storm overseas, drawing a growing number of foreign tourists to China to experience daily life and feel the beauty of China’s modernisation drive. Amid its rising popularity, how to tailor inbound tourism products and services to meet foreign visitors’ changing needs has become a key focus for the industry.

In early spring, a Malaysian tourist revisited Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, inspired by the hashtag. Having long dreamed of West Lake after watching the Chinese TV drama “Legend of the White Snake” in her childhood, she felt regretful about her first hasty visit, which failed to let her appreciate the lake’s unique charm. This time, she spent a week exploring the city like a local.

“Riding shared bikes around the streets, wandering through vegetable markets, tasting authentic Hangzhou steamed buns in local shops, using the convenient book search and borrowing services in libraries, practicing tai chi and square dancing with locals, and even trying Hanfu costumes — these experiences made me truly connect with the city,” she said. One early morning, she watched mist rise gently from a quiet pond by West Lake, with flowers fragrant in the air and birds chirping, a moment that made her feel deeply attached to the place.

With the continuous improvement of visa-free policies, convenient payment methods and multilingual services, foreign tourists now enjoy smoother travel experiences in China. An American tourist’s unexpected medical visit during his trip in Jiangxi Province earlier this year gave him a new understanding of “Chinese-style convenience.”

Having accidentally cut his finger and needed stitches while traveling alone during the Spring Festival, he felt flustered at first, unfamiliar with local medical services and worried about delaying his itinerary. However, he received professional and efficient treatment: the entire process took less than two hours, something he said was unimaginable in the United States. He also booked a long-awaited lung imaging test on the same day, a service that would have taken him six months to get in his home country. He plans to bring his parents to China this autumn for a medical check-up and traditional Chinese medicine treatments like tuina massage.

A German tourist shared videos of his trip on overseas social media, featuring his experience on the Beijing-Tianjin cultural tourism train “Jinlü Shiguang Hao” during the Spring Festival. The train has a traditional craft inheritance area where inheritors demonstrate their skills on site, and offers cultural and creative products such as first-issue commemorative envelopes and postcards. It also features brands like Astor House 1863 Café and holds immersive performances themed on “Peking Opera Meets Crosstalk,” allowing passengers to experience the integration of Beijing and Tianjin cultures.

The popularity of “Becoming a Chinese” reflects a shift in foreign tourists’ demands for travel in China. “Tourists are no longer satisfied with just sightseeing; they want to touch, experience and even integrate into local culture. China’s relatively improved inbound tourism policies, facilities and services have made this in-depth contact possible,” said the general manager of Tajikistan Shah Tourism Company.

Recently, nine ministries including the Ministry of Commerce issued the “Policy Measures on Promoting the Export of Travel Services and Expanding Inbound Consumption,” putting forward specific initiatives to expand inbound tourism consumption, facilitate inbound business activities and activate inbound event consumption.

A vice president of Utour Group noted that “Becoming a Chinese” is a concentrated manifestation of China’s efforts to promote inbound tourism and enhance the influence of Chinese civilization. “We have previously launched several inbound tourism projects focusing on cultural experiences such as Chinese cuisine making, which have received a positive market response. We will continue to launch more diverse and targeted products like ‘Be a Chinese for a Day’ to meet the changing needs,” he said.