Global interest in Chinese culture has grown. This interest moved from online trends to real travel experiences. Social media platforms contributed to this change. Netizens worldwide adopt Chinese wellness habits, they brew hot teas, they wear red for luck and vitality, they eat hot pot. This cultural wave pushed Chinese soft power abroad. The "China Travel" trend and cultural tourism are now popular internationally.
One study connects long-term use of platforms like TikTok with better views of Chinese tourism. Digital exposure builds positive perceptions, and engaging content spreads these views quietly.
Inbound tourism to China has changed as international visitors want active experiences rather than traditional sightseeing. They are interested in learning more about Chinese culture and heritage. They want to explore ancient architecture, watch opera performances, and try crafts and Hanfu traditions. This "new Chinese cultural tourism" appeals to younger people.
Latest data from Ctrip show this growth in 2025 as cultural tourism products and experiences saw increases in attracted visitors. They include museums, heritage workshops, and guided tours. Product variety rose by 13%, orders increased by over 10%, and ticket sales for some categories grew by 14%. Platforms mix heritage experiences with folk arts and special dining selling them as travel packages. Cultural interest drives tourism spending and spending then drives more interest.
Food as a Gateway to Chinese Culture
The "Taste of CHINA" dining experience is a strong example. It is located in Shanghai's historic Bund area at Old City Hall. The restaurant offers a two-hour meal. Staff speak English, Russian, Japanese, and other languages. As such over 90% of guests come from abroad. They represent 21 countries across five continents. Guests include Russian families and UAE business travelers.
The concept treats restaurants as attractions and dining as travel, which is a popular idea. The playful "Panda Chef" leads the meal. Guests learn about Chinese geography and people during seven courses. Screens show vivid images of northern China's landscapes.
The food fits global tastes. The "sour soup fish" comes with buttery mashed potato "fish bone" biscuits. Freshly ground Sichuan pepper pleases Southeast Asian guests. Shanxi-style hot pot has vegetarian options for Western diners. It also has gluten-free and seafood-free versions. Shadow puppet characters teach guests about dipping sauces. They explain the eating order and timing.
Experts praise this mix. The Chao Cuisine Research Association says diners sit around screens on three sides and they watch the world. They enjoy Chinese flavors from all regions. Food critics call it a journey "from the tip of the tongue to the heart."
The meal includes paper-cutting art and tea ceremonies as well. It features shadow puppets and Sichuan face-changing opera. Performers do martial arts salutes. Overseas guests do not just watch, they feel like part of the Chinese culture.
Events Bridging Tradition and Modernity
Major events also display modern China. Jay Chou's 2025 Carnival World Tour concerts had stops in Jinan. The shows used new national-style elements. The Women's Jiuxuan Orchestra played their classic songs and used traditional instruments like the guzheng, pipa, and flute. The concerts attracted many overseas fans since they mixed pop music with heritage.
Moreover, sports events also act as cultural displays. The 2025 Shanghai Marathon attracted over 23,000 runners including more than 4,300 international participants from 91 countries and regions. Foreign participation hovered around 13 to 15 percent in recent editions.
"Shanghai gas stations" and opera performances introduced local culture along the route. Ctrip provided inbound services like airport transfers, multilingual guides, and scenic add-ons. These services helped the event economy. Post-race spending conversion rates were much higher than average tourism.
History and Heritage in Detail
Cultural tourism with its museums and heritage sites help visitors understand Chinese civilization. Multilingual museum products on Ctrip's overseas platform rose 63 percent year-on-year in 2025. Inbound cultural tourism orders went up 220 percent. Ticket sales nearly doubled at 198 percent. Bookings for guided explanations grew 28 times in some segments. Iconic sites like the Palace Museum, Temple of Heaven, and Qin Shi Huang's Mausoleum are the most popular places to visit.
Renewed cultural confidence at home creates more demand for deep experiences. Ctrip sells premium guided services at sites like the Qin Terracotta Warriors. These tours cover the warriors, the mausoleum, and the bronze chariots. Tours at the Yungang Grottoes offer two to three hours of stone carving exploration.
Participation in intangible heritage has grown fast according to the numbers. Platform transaction volumes for these experiences rose 126 percent year-on-year. Favorites include tea culture, shadow puppetry, and puppet shows. Integrated workshops in Fujian Tulou bring back architectural and folk life skills. Yunnan Pu'er tea tours brought in large revenue. Xi'an's cultural districts saw triple-digit sales growth in shadow puppetry and performances.
These programs extend tourist engagement and share cultural values. The updates include revitalizing intangible heritage, detailed museum visits, culinary crafts, and city events. Cultural tourism acts as a bridge as it helps the world see a real China through participation. This reinforces domestic cultural self-confidence as well. It makes deep experiences a growing source of identity and economic help. Digital interest turns into real journeys, and Chinese culture connects globally in vivid ways.
