Trip.com Unveils $2.2 Billion Plan to Make China Top Tourist Destination

Chinese online travel giant Trip.com Group Ltd. (Nasdaq: TCOM) has announced a landmark 15 billion yuan ($2.2 billion) five-year marketing campaign aimed at transforming China into the world’s leading tourist destination. The initiative, unveiled by co-founder and Executive Chairman James Liang Jianzhang at the 2026 Global Cross-Border Tourism Conference in Guilin, represents one of the largest single-company tourism marketing investments in history.

Context: China’s Inbound Tourism Renaissance

China’s inbound tourism sector is experiencing a significant post-pandemic revival. After years of COVID-era border closures, the country has been systematically reopening and implementing visa-free policies. By mid-2026, China had established visa-free agreements with 50 countries, contributing to a surge in foreign arrivals.

According to Caixin Global, China recorded 35.2 million inbound trips by foreigners in 2025, up 30.5% year-on-year and 10.3% above pre-pandemic 2019 levels. Visa-free entries accounted for over 70% of the total, rising nearly 50% year-on-year.

Despite this growth, China still lags far behind global tourism leaders. In 2025, France received approximately 102 million international tourists, Spain 97 million, and Japan 42 million, while China received just 35.2 million foreign visitors. More strikingly, China’s inbound tourism direct revenue was only about 0.67% of GDP, compared to Thailand’s 10% and the 1-3% range typical of European and American countries.

The $2.2 Billion Bet on Inbound Tourism

Trip.com’s investment will be allocated toward brand endorsements, influencer promotions, and offline marketing campaigns over the next five years. The company aims to bring 200 million overseas travelers to China during this period, with a revenue target of $300 billion in foreign exchange from inbound tourism by 2030.

“The gap [in inbound tourism revenue] hides trillion-yuan-level incremental space. The strategic value of inbound tourism should be re-recognized,” Liang said, as reported by the China Business Journal.

In a separate interview with Caixin, Liang acknowledged the challenges ahead: “Despite advantages such as rich resources and extensive infrastructure, China still faces challenges in attracting more foreign visitors.”

Jackie Chan and the Global Marketing Push

To amplify its message, Trip.com has appointed global action star Jackie Chan as its “Inbound Tourism Ambassador.” The appointment, announced in late April, is part of a broader strategy that includes celebrity endorsements, KOL (Key Opinion Leader) promotions, and international advertising campaigns.

Liang has been blunt about the core challenge: “The biggest problem is not the product, but awareness. Foreigners still don’t know how good China is.” He noted that Trip.com would “invest heavily in the European market” to attract more European travelers.

Infrastructure and Ecosystem Investments

Trip.com’s strategy extends far beyond marketing. The company has been building inbound tourism infrastructure for nearly a decade, including:

• A multi-language platform and AI translation engine that covers 25 core languages
• 16-language smart ticketing machines deployed at 241 scenic spots across China
• Airport welcome desks in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Shenzhen
• The “TASTE OF CHINA” immersive cultural restaurant on the Bund in Shanghai, which opened in August 2025
• The “FLiP!T Trips” program, which invites international celebrities and KOLs to experience Chinese cities

In 2025 alone, Trip.com’s overseas platform served over 20 million inbound tourist orders, with nearly 150,000 domestic merchants receiving inbound tourism orders through the platform.

Government Support and Policy Tailwinds

The marketing push comes amid strong government support for inbound tourism. In March 2026, China’s Ministry of Commerce, jointly with nine other ministries, issued 16 policy measures across seven dimensions to promote travel service exports and expand inbound consumption, as reported by China Youth Net. These measures include visa liberalization, payment reforms promoting “large-amount card swiping, small-amount QR code scanning, cash as backup,” and requirements for scenic spots to provide foreign-language services.

Economic Implications and Challenges

Liang projects that inbound tourism could generate $300 billion in foreign exchange by 2030, contributing 2-3% of GDP directly, and potentially 5-7% when accounting for trade surplus and currency effects. This would significantly alter China’s economic structure by expanding the services export sector and potentially helping China’s GDP surpass that of the United States.

However, significant challenges remain. Many scenic spots lack multi-language services and international payment methods. There is a shortage of multilingual guides and foreigner-service personnel. Western markets, particularly Europe and the US, have limited understanding of modern China as a tourist destination. Foreign visitors also face barriers accessing Chinese digital ecosystems.

What’s Next

As Liang put it: “When China becomes the world’s number one in inbound tourism, Trip.com will also become the world’s leading OTA. These two things are highly correlated.” The coming years will test whether this ambitious bet on China’s tourism potential can deliver on its promise, with key indicators including visa policy expansion, infrastructure readiness, and the measurable impact of the Jackie Chan ambassador program on actual tourist arrivals.