Key Points
- Australians are showing renewed enthusiasm for travel to China, thanks in part to the 30-day, visa-free policy.
- An expert warns low-cost tours may have hidden fees and advises choosing reputable providers.
- The latest figures show Australian tourism to China has returned to pre-pandemic levels.
After years of watching Chinese historical dramas, Brisbane resident Elisabeth Kwong finally stood in front of Beijing’s Forbidden City in April.
It was Elisabeth’s first visit to China — one she had dreamed of since taking high school Chinese classes.
"I think I've always felt there is a love for China, a bit of a connection to it, as we've been going to Chinese classes," she said.
"I was really keen to go for a trip to China and just see what it's like for myself."
Australians are showing renewed enthusiasm for travel to China, thanks in part to the 15-day, visa-free policy introduced by the Chinese government in June last year — later extended to 30 days in November and valid through to the end of 2025.
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data showed the number of Australian residents visiting China surged 85.32 per cent in 2024, to 580,500, compared to the year before (313,240).
Elisabeth Kwong and her husband, Reuben Kwong, signed up for a 10-day guided tour of China. Source: Supplied / Elisabeth Kwong
That’s not far behind Australians’ all-time favourite overseas destination, Japan, which recorded 97,290 visits during the same month.
Elisabeth wasn’t travelling alone. She and her husband, Reuben Kwong — whose grandfather is Chinese — joined a 10-day guided tour of China, which cost $999.
The package included return international flights, four-star hotel accommodation, domestic high-speed rail tickets, and some meals.
"It's a big group, about 90 or so in total. We had 27 on our bus," Reuben explained, adding that travellers came from cities across Australia before meeting in Beijing to begin their journey.
The Kwong couple visited five cities in China during their 10-day trip in April. Source: Supplied / Elisabeth Kwong
The couple admitted that they were initially drawn in by the "really cheap" price but had no idea how such a deal was possible.
Industry insider James Gottschalk, a product manager at a Melbourne-based travel agency, offered some clues.
"We have seen huge growth for this destination over the last six to 12 months, and it is definitely our most popular itinerary at this point in time," he said.
He added that after the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic and a period of strained diplomatic relations between Australia and China, budget-friendly group tours were helping to reignite Australians' interest in the destination.
"Because the consumer has access to these kinds of prices. It's making it one of the most desirable destinations for Australians," Gottschalk said.
Before the pandemic, in 2019, more than 600,000 Australians visited China.
Gottschalk told SBS Chinese that since launching the $888 package in May last year, the agency had sent about 5,000 travellers to China, with a further 7,500 to 8,000 already booked for departures over the next 12 months.
"We're still selling. We're still putting on more and more departures to handle the demands of the consumers that want to travel on these packages," he said.
Industry insider James Gottschalk said Australians' interest in China as a travel destination had been revived over the past 12 months. Source: Supplied / James Gottchalk
In an interview with SBS Chinese, Dr Wen said that in the post-pandemic era, the Chinese government had rolled out a raft of incentives to attract more international visitors.
"For example, travel agencies in places like Guangxi and Hainan that can bring international tourists to China are eligible for government subsidies of up to 500,000 RMB (AUD$108,000),” he said.
He added that the visa-free policy had helped reignite interest among potential travellers who were previously deterred by China’s complex visa application process.
"It’s understandable — getting a visa to visit China used to be quite complicated. But now, with the 30-day visa-free policy, visitors have more than enough time to explore multiple cities or even take a deeper tour," he said.
Dr Wen believes China is shifting from being a major source of outbound tourists to becoming a leading global destination for inbound travel.
"The country’s robust economy, rich culture, developed infrastructure, and diverse tourism resources all contribute to its growing status as a top international travel destination," he said.
Dr Jun Wen believes that China is poised for a promising future in the international tourism market. Source: Supplied / Dr Jun Wen
"An extremely low price is usually unrealistic," he warned.
"If it’s just a marketing gimmick, there will likely be hidden costs — like mandatory shopping stops or tipping — that travellers aren’t prepared for."
Elisabeth experienced this firsthand. Her tour included five required visits to sites producing jade, traditional Chinese medicine, green tea, silk, and pearl factories.
"I think it was okay visiting the factories, but probably less time at them," she said.
When we were at the jade factory, I kept looking at my watch and thinking 'when are we leaving? I'm ready to go hike the Great Wall'.Elisabeth Kwong
The itinerary also included optional paid tours and a clearly stated tipping policy: each traveller was expected to tip their local guide AUD$12 per day.
"While tipping is not mandatory here in Australia, it is a common practice in China and an important part of the income for local tour guides and drivers who have serviced your tour," the itinerary noted.
On some occasions, the couple paid more for optional tours than the official prices.
"For example, with the Shanghai River cruise, it costs 280 yuan per person, and when we were given the ticket for the boat cruise, it's got 150 yuan on it," Elisabeth recalled.
Elisabeth said they were charged more for optional tours than the official prices during their trip to China. Source: SBS / Elisabeth Kwong
"I really enjoyed it … I think the kindness and the generosity of the Chinese people were definitely the highlight of the travel for me," she said.
Asked if she’d take another group tour like this, she said it would depend on the price.
"If the tour was a really good price again, I'd be happy to go back to the industries and factories," Elisabeth said.
"But if there were a comparable price on another tour that didn't go to the industries and factories, then I would probably consider that."
