While outbound tourism is strong, China's inbound tourism is struggling to attract foreign travelers. Marketing strategies and visa restrictions count as main factors that deter foreign tourists from entering the country.
Chinese tourists will find their way in different cities and towns all over the world, eventually overtaking the spending habits of German tourists, which, until Chinese tourists emerged, reigned as the highest-spending travelers.
Such is the case in the United States. Back in 2003, only 200,000 Chinese tourists visited the country. The number has significantly increased, however, reaching nearly 2.2 million and 2.7 million in 2014 and 2015, respectively.
An average Chinese tourist in a regular trip usually spends about $6,000 to $7,200 per trip in the United States, according to Brand USA China's 2014 Market Update.
Chinese tourists have also become important to the Australian economy, as their spending habits accounted for 6 percent of Australia's economic growth last year.
It helps that Chinese companies have taken it upon themselves to bring thousands of employees on overseas corporate trips, a trend among well-to-do firms.
No matter how successful outbound tourism has become, however, Chinese inbound tourism remains painfully stagnant, according to an article by China Daily.
In 2015, roughly 26 million foreign tourists flew to China, according to the China National Tourism Administration, representing a 1.4-percent drop from 2014 data. It's a puzzling revelation, as the country is home to the largest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Experts suggested that the problem is not with China's historical and cultural allures, but in its marketing strategy.
CNTA has yet to tap into the Middle Eastern market, which it can do by opening an office in the region. Opening tourism offices in foreign locations was the strategy Iran and Dubai used to attract more travelers.
Visa regulations and high fees also deter European tourists from traveling to China.
"Visa restrictions can deter potential visitors who may choose more accessible destinations," the 2016 China Tourism Report made by London-based BMI Research Group said.