China’s ‘Cool’ Summer: How the ‘China Cool’ Trend Is Redefining Global Tourism

As extreme heatwaves grip much of the world, a growing number of international travelers are flocking to China for what has become known as a “coolcation” — combining summer heat relief with immersive cultural experiences. The phenomenon has spawned a viral social media hashtag, “China Cool,” which captures both the country’s refreshing summer escapes and its stylish, modern appeal.

The trend is backed by striking numbers. China recorded 22.914 million inbound trips by foreign nationals in the first half of 2026, up 20.4% year-on-year, according to People’s Daily Online. Of those, 17.815 million entered visa-free, accounting for 77.7% of all foreign arrivals and representing a 30.6% year-on-year increase. European countries made up 30% of China’s top 20 inbound source markets this summer, with bookings from European travelers surging 275% year-on-year.

A ‘Furnace City’ Turns Cool

At the heart of the “China Cool” story is Chongqing, long dubbed one of China’s “furnace cities” for its sweltering, humid summers. Despite outdoor temperatures nearing 40 degrees Celsius, Australian tourist Roy Rostand was recently enjoying hotpot at a restaurant without air conditioning — apparently feeling no discomfort. The secret lies in the restaurant’s unlikely location: a former air-raid shelter.

As China View reports, Chongqing has carved thousands of air-raid shelters into its mountainous terrain since the late 1930s. Once serving as sanctuaries for civilians during the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, these spaces have now been repurposed as hotpot restaurants, tea houses, and venues for Sichuan Opera performances.

“The temperature inside the shelters remains around 25 degrees Celsius all year round, making them natural cool retreats,” explained Wang Jing, marketing director of the Underground City hotpot restaurant. “We serve more than 300 tables a day on weekends. Right now, about one in every six diners is from overseas.”

The transformation has resonated deeply with international visitors. “We were attracted not only by this unique way of escaping the summer heat, but also by the opportunity to dine in a place filled with history and culture,” said Annika, a tourist from Germany.

Chongqing’s appeal extends beyond its underground spaces. At The Ring shopping mall, visitors are greeted by a lush indoor rainforest with misting systems that keep temperatures at about 21 degrees Celsius. The city’s rail transit system has set up cooling zones in 158 metro stations since July 8, and a 400-meter-long “cooling corridor” in the Mountain City Alley historic district reduces perceived temperatures by 3 to 5 degrees Celsius.

The efforts are paying off. More than 610,000 inbound and outbound trips by foreign nationals were recorded at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport in the first half of 2026, marking an 86% surge year-on-year. Data from Trip.com shows that inbound travel bookings from Europe to Chongqing for the summer season climbed by over 40% year-on-year.

Beyond the Heat: Infrastructure and Openness

The “China Cool” trend is not merely about geography and temperature. As China Economic Net notes, China’s vast territory offers a treasure trove of naturally cool summer getaways, from the lush Changbai Mountain in the northeast to the dramatic sandstone peaks of Zhangjiajie in central China. But what truly sets the experience apart is the country’s comprehensive infrastructure.

China has the world’s highest air conditioning penetration rate, with households averaging 150.6 air conditioners per 100 homes in 2024. Widespread cooling systems in shopping malls, hotels, subways, and even public restrooms mean visitors can escape the heat almost anywhere. By the end of 2025, China’s railway network had reached 165,000 kilometers, highways stretched to 5.58 million kilometers, and certified civil airports increased to 270.

Visa-free policies have been a critical enabler. China’s unilateral visa-free policy now covers 50 countries, complemented by conveniences such as instant tax refunds for departing visitors and widespread mobile payment systems. Beijing received 2.667 million inbound tourists in the first five months of 2026, up 35.3% year-on-year, according to China.org.cn.

A Rail Revolution

The summer travel boom has also transformed China’s railway system. China operated 1,797 tourist trains in the first half of 2026, nearly doubling the 972 trains during the same period of 2025, according to People’s Daily Online. Railway operators launched 445 themed trains tailored for concerts, sporting events, exhibitions, and other activities.

China’s railways are expected to handle 1.01 billion passenger trips during the 62-day summer travel rush ending August 31, with an average of 16.29 million trips per day. As People’s Daily Online reports, the “train-plus tourism” model is turning a train ticket from a mere means of transportation into a gateway to a wider tourism ecosystem.

A Shift in Perception

Perhaps the most significant dimension of “China Cool” is what it represents for how China is perceived internationally. As the Global Times editorial argues, the shift from “Cool China” to “China Cool” marks a fundamental change in perspective: from observing a major developing country from afar to stepping into a concrete, tangible society; from focusing on what China “has” to experiencing what China “is like.”

“Ultimately, echoing the trends of ‘China Travel’ and ‘China Shopping,’ the ‘China Cool’ hashtag is not just about summer travel,” notes People’s Daily Online. “It reflects a growing global appreciation for a country whose appeal is rooted in its natural beauty, cultural charm, openness to the world, and commitment to peaceful development.”

The economic impact is substantial. Online payment platform data shows that since June, inbound tourist consumption amounts increased by 72.9% year-on-year. Service retail sales rose 5.3% year-on-year in H1 2026, far outpacing the 1.1% growth in goods retail sales. China’s new five-year tourism plan targets 190 million inbound tourist visits by 2030.

What’s Next

As the summer heat subsides, questions remain about whether the “China Cool” trend will persist beyond the season. But the underlying drivers — expanded visa-free policies, modern infrastructure, cultural richness, and a welcoming environment — suggest the momentum may have staying power.

“The heatwave will subside and summer will pass, but the reshaping of global perceptions brought about by ‘China Cool’ could have a lasting and far-reaching impact,” the Global Times editorial concludes. “From ‘China Travel’ to ‘China Shopping,’ from ‘Becoming Chinese’ to ‘Chinamaxxing,’ the world is increasingly moving beyond simply ‘hearing about China’ to actually ‘experiencing China.’”

For travelers seeking both relief from the heat and a window into a rapidly evolving society, China’s “cool” summer may be just the beginning.