China Inbound Tourism in 2009

 Statistics of Foreign Market 
Influenced by various factors, foreign tourist arrivals in 2009 was 21.9375 million, down 9.8% from the preceding year. Of the total arrival, Asian tourists formed 62.8%, an increased of 2.9% over the previous year. Although Japanese made up the largest group to China, arrivals form other Asian countries declined 5.4% over the previous year.

On the other hand, tourist arrival from other continents in 2009 varies from each other.  For instance, data for the Americans arrival stays about the same as previous year.  In the same period, statistics showed a slight increase in numbers from Africa, growing at a rate of about 6%.  However, the percentage has declined for Europe (-24.9%) and Oceania (-2.4%) year on year. 

Generally, tourists staying overnight in China has also declined in 2009. However, the average duration of stay reached 7.6-day, an increase of 8.6%. At the same time, the average daily expenditure was US$192, a reduction by 3.7% against the previous year.

 Statistics of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan Market

In 2009, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan were the largest of mainland China’s inbound tourism market. However, arrivals from Hong Kong and Macau have dropped, whilst those from Taiwan increased slightly over the previous year.

Figures for Hong Kong stand at 77.336 million arrivals, down 1.3% over 2008. Of this total, only 25.4979 million (or 33%) stayed overnight, down 0.7%. The rest toured mainland China for only 1 day, down 1.6%.

Tourists from Macau numbered 22.7184 million, down 1.1% from 2008. Among them, 3.8480 million (or 16.9%) stayed overnight, down 0.8%. 18.8704 million had a one day trip, down 1.1%.

Taiwanese tourists totaled 4.4840 million, an increased of 2.2% from the preceding year. Among them, 3.8324 million (85.5%) stayed overnight, an increased of 0.9%; whilst the rest just made a one day trip, an increased of 10.8%.

 Provinces, Autonomous Regions and Municipalities Receiving Most Visitors and Tourist Revenue

Chinese provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities under the direct jurisdiction of the central government received a total of 80.3919 million inbound tourists, representing 7.2% increase from the preceding year.  25 administrative areas received more than 500 thousand tourists.  They include Guangdong, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Beijing, Fujian, Shandong, Liaoning, Yunnan, Guangxi, Anhui, Shaanxi, Heilongjiang, Tianjin, Hubei, Hunan, Inner Mongolia, Henan, Shanxi, Chongqing, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Hebei, Jilin and Hainan. Of these, Guangdong was in the lead by hosting 27.4780 million tourists.

The number of foreign tourists arriving at the same three regions was up 3% over the previous year, standing at 44.1988 million. A total of 23 autonomous regions and municipalities received more than 500 thousand foreign tourists.  These included Guangdong, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Beijing, Liaoning, Shandong, Yunnan, Heilongjiang, Tianjin, Inner Mongolia, Guangxi, Shaanxi, Hubei, Fujian, Anhui, Chongqing, Henan, Hebei, Shanxi, Hunan, Sichuan and Jilin. Guangdong again led the others by hosting 6.1794 million foreign tourists.

With the increase in foreign tourists came the earnings of foreign exchange that exceeded US$100 million.  Provinces benefited from this included Guangdong, Shanghai, Beijing, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Liaoning, Shandong, Tianjin, Yunnan, Shaanxi, Hunan, Guangxi, Heilongjiang, Anhui, Inner Mongolia, Chongqing, Hubei, Henan, Shanxi, Hebei, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Hainan, Jilin, Xinjiang and Guizhou. Guangdong consequently ranked No. 1, with earnings of US$10.028 billion.

 42 cities received more than 200 thousand inbound tourists in 2009, an increase of 5 more cities over 2008.  These included Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing, Zhuhai, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Tianjin, Guilin, Nanjing, Dalian, Chongqing, Qingdao, Xiamen, Huangshan, Ningbo, Kunming, Xi'an, Wuhan, Wuxi, Fuzhou, Quanzhou, Chengdu, Changsha, Shenyang, Zhongshan, Yantai, Luoyang, Wenzhou, Weihai, Zhengzhou, Sanya, Yanbian, Nantong, Harbin, Taiyuan, Qinhuangdao, Jiujiang, Zhangzhou, Changchun, Chengde and Hefei.

 There were 32 cities that received more than 200 thousand foreign tourists. They are Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Shenzhen, Tianjin, Suzhou, Dalian, Chongqing, Qingdao, Guilin, Nanjing, Xi'an, Kunming, Wuhan, Huangshan, Zhuhai, Ningbo, Chengdu, Xiamen, Shenyang, Wuxi, Fuzhou, Yantai, Changsha, Luoyang, Weihai, Yanbian, Nantong, Wenzhou, Sanya and Qinhuangdao.

 As far as overseas tourist revenue earning is concerned, there were 39 cities that earned more than US$100 million, 2 cities more than in 2008. These cities were Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Tianjin, Zhuhai, Suzhou, Xiamen, Nanjing, Fuzhou, Dalian, Quanzhou, Qingdao, Chongqing, Ningbo, Guilin, Xi'an, Shenyang, Changsha, Wuxi, Wuhan, Yantai, Nantong, Huangshan, Chengdu, Kunming, Zhongshan, Sanya, Wenzhou, Weihai, Harbin, Zhengzhou, Taiyuan, Luoyang, Zhangzhou, Qinhuangdao, Changchun and Hefei. Among them, Shanghai ranked the top by earning US$4.744 billion.

Data Source: Ministry of Culture and Tourism of People's Republic of China

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