Ease of entry

Zhou says industry insiders often deliberated inbound tourism's main "pain points".

"We came to the conclusion that probably one of the biggest difficulties was the visa because, years ago, foreigners coming to China had to spend a lot of time filling in all the forms. It took a long time for them to apply and finally get the visa from the embassy or consulate," he recalls.

"So, we kept having a wish in our hearts that if sometime in the future our customers can travel to China just by buying air tickets with their passports, they can come to China as they like. This was a kind of a dream. But finally, it came true."

Su Nuoyi says the policy has inspired many of his friends and family from Spain to book flights to China.

"They just text me, and they're like, 'I'm going to Beijing, and I just want you to show me around'," he says.

"People have always been interested in this country. It was just harder to get here, and now it's easier. I think I feel like there's no barrier anymore. So, for them, it's very comfortable just to hop on a plane to come to China just to look around."