China Opens New Tourism Gateways as Guizhou Push and Easier Digital Payments Transform Travel

Written By: Jishnoo Banerjee

Jishnoo Banerjee

A published author with over 9 years of experience in writing, poetry, and novel creation. Starting out on social media, Jishnoo gained recognition for engaging content in both English and Bengali. With a strong background as a news content writer, Jishnoo now contributes to a prestigious global travel magazine. Known for blending creative writing with journalism, the work seamlessly combines artistic expression with insightful reporting across different platforms.

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August 24, 2026 1:03 PM

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China is strengthening its appeal to international travellers through a combination of expanding aviation connectivity, aggressive regional tourism promotion and easier payment options for foreign visitors. The changes are particularly important for destinations beyond Beijing and Shanghai. Guizhou in southwest China is increasing its international tourism push, while national authorities continue making mobile payments and foreign bank cards easier for overseas travellers to use. Together, these developments support China’s wider effort to make journeys into lesser-known regions simpler and more attractive.

International Aviation Continues to Recover

International air travel is gaining momentum across China. Data from the Civil Aviation Administration of China show strong growth in international aviation activity during 2026. In February, international passenger turnover increased 23% year on year, while international cargo and mail turnover climbed 23.2% during the first two months of the year.

The improvement matters for tourism because additional international connectivity can bring visitors closer to regional destinations rather than concentrating journeys around China’s largest gateways. China’s aviation network was already extensive, with 821 scheduled international routes in 2024, according to CAAC’s annual industry report.

Guizhou Pushes Harder for International Travellers

Guizhou is one of the destinations seeking to benefit from China’s changing inbound tourism market. In January 2026, Guiyang hosted the Guizhou Inbound Tourism Cooperation Conference and Inbound Tourism Supplier Conference. More than 1,500 representatives from the international tourism industry attended. Overseas influencers, travel professionals and tourism organisations were introduced to the province’s cultural and natural attractions.

Official figures released during the programme showed strong momentum. Inbound tourists using Guizhou’s online tourism platform increased 40% year on year in 2025, while tourism consumption revenue from the segment rose 54%. Visitors from Malaysia and Thailand recorded particularly strong growth.

Qingyan Ancient Town Strengthens Guiyang Appeal

Qingyan Ancient Town is emerging as an important part of Guiyang’s tourism positioning. Located about 29 kilometres from central Guiyang, the historic settlement is known for stone streets, traditional residences and architecture reflecting the Ming and Qing periods. It has been recognised as a national 5A-level scenic attraction.

The destination has also been incorporated into several 2026 tourism promotions. During the Guiyang Marathon, participants received special tourism benefits covering Qingyan and other attractions. A separate international youth football event provided ticket holders with free access to selected attractions, including Qingyan Ancient Town.

This strategy demonstrates how Guiyang is linking sporting events, cultural tourism and destination marketing instead of relying on conventional sightseeing alone.

Huangguoshu Waterfall Gains Promotional Momentum

Huangguoshu Waterfall is another major attraction being used to strengthen Guizhou’s visitor economy. The destination has been incorporated into tourism promotions that connect entertainment and travel spending.

A 2026 promotion linked to the film Crossing allowed qualifying visitors to use cinema tickets for free entry to participating state-run A-level attractions. Huangguoshu was among the most popular destinations. More than 1,000 visitors reportedly used the promotion at Huangguoshu within two days, while approximately 15,000 users applied for benefits through the wider digital programme. The promotion is scheduled to continue through the end of 2026.

Guizhou has also packaged Huangguoshu with hot springs, ancient towns and other natural attractions in seasonal tourism routes.

China Makes Mobile Payments Easier for Foreign Tourists

Better attractions and air connections are only useful if travellers can navigate everyday life easily. Payments have historically been one of the practical concerns for foreign visitors to China because mobile platforms dominate many transactions.

Chinese authorities have been working to reduce that difficulty.

The People’s Bank of China confirms that Alipay and Tencent have improved systems allowing overseas bank cards to be linked with Alipay and WeChat. Authorities have also expanded applicable payment scenarios and increased transaction limits for overseas visitors.

This can make everyday spending significantly easier for international travellers.

Foreign visitors can increasingly use familiar international cards through Chinese mobile-payment platforms instead of depending entirely on local Chinese bank accounts.

Foreign Bank Card Acceptance Also Expands

The improvements are not limited to mobile applications. China’s central bank says payment facilities have been upgraded at key merchants and locations to improve overseas bank-card acceptance.

Priority locations include:

• Airports and major transport gateways
• Hotels and accommodation businesses
• Tourist attractions and scenic areas
• Major merchants serving international visitors

Foreign-currency exchange also remains available through banks, exchange facilities and ATMs, while cash continues to be supported as a payment method.

This multi-payment approach is important because international travellers have different levels of familiarity with Chinese digital services.

High-Speed Rail Makes Regional Tourism More Practical

China’s extensive transport infrastructure gives destinations such as Guizhou another major advantage. Guiyang functions as an important transport hub in southwest China, supported by high-speed rail, expressways and Guiyang Longdongbao International Airport. Official city information describes Guiyang as a national-level tourism hub with high-speed rail connections extending across the country.

For international travellers, this creates the possibility of building multi-city holidays without relying exclusively on domestic flights.

A visitor can arrive through a major international gateway and continue towards regional destinations by high-speed rail. Improved payment accessibility can further reduce friction when arranging transport, meals and everyday purchases.

China Wants Tourism Growth Beyond Famous Gateways

The wider significance of these developments is the geographic diversification of China’s visitor economy. Beijing and Shanghai will remain major international gateways, but China’s tourism offering extends far beyond those cities.

Guizhou provides a strong example of what regional China can offer. Visitors can combine historic settlements, waterfalls, mountains, ethnic cultures, local food and contemporary city experiences.

Guiyang welcomed more than 400,000 overnight visitors during the three-day Qingming Festival holiday in April 2026, up 14.6% year on year. Its 47 A-level attractions recorded more than 900,000 visits, representing growth of 32.7%. Qingyan Ancient Town ranked among the city’s most visited attractions.

Guizhou Builds Experiences Around Culture and Lifestyle

Guizhou is also attempting to move beyond conventional sightseeing. Guiyang has developed tourism programmes around coffee, food, sports, nightlife and cultural experiences.

A new coffee check-in initiative connects local cafés with tourism benefits, including discounted Qingyan Ancient Town tickets.

Night tourism is expanding too. During the 2026 Spring Festival period, Qingyan Ancient Town staged 189 nighttime performances and attracted around 380,000 visits, with operating revenue increasing 110% year on year.

These initiatives can encourage travellers to spend more time in a destination rather than simply visiting a landmark and leaving.

China Travel Becomes Easier Beyond Beijing and Shanghai

China’s tourism transformation is increasingly about removing barriers between international travellers and regional destinations. Growing international aviation activity makes the country more accessible. Guizhou’s inbound campaigns give overseas travel companies more products to sell. Improved mobile and card payments reduce one of the practical difficulties visitors have historically encountered.

For destinations such as Guiyang, Qingyan Ancient Town and Huangguoshu Waterfall, these changes create an opportunity to capture travellers who want to see a different side of China.

The biggest shift may therefore be geographical. China’s international tourism story no longer needs to revolve exclusively around Beijing, Shanghai and a handful of globally famous attractions. Improved transport, digital payments and regional promotion are making destinations deeper inside the country increasingly realistic additions to international itineraries.