"We watched the opening parade and participated in the torch show in the rice paddies; it was an incredible experience." Recently, British tourists George and Meg traveled specifically to Yuexi County in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture to attend the Torch Festival. Beyond the unique Eastern folk customs, the well-organized management of tens of thousands of visitors made their journey smooth and enjoyable.

Overseas youths visit Sichuan to see giant pandas

Nowadays, a growing number of inbound tourists are visiting Sichuan for "in-depth tours," immersing themselves in natural landscapes, cultural and historical heritage, technology-driven tourism, and local daily life to experience the lifestyle of "Splendid Tianfu, Comfortable Sichuan."

From Single-Site Sightseeing to Diversified Consumption: The "Sichuan Content" of Inbound Tourism Continues to Rise

On the afternoon of July 30, Air Macau flight NX385 landed at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, marking the first inbound flight from Hong Kong, Macao, or Taiwan since the quality upgrade and renovation of Terminal 1's international hall. On the same day, both the Payment Service Center for Overseas Visitors and the Departure Tax Refund Service Center were officially launched, significantly enhancing the travel experience for inbound and outbound passengers.

Southeast Asian Merchants Visit Bipenggou for Inspection

With its distinctive cultural and tourism appeal, convenient travel experience, and developed transportation network, Chengdu has become the "first stop" for overseas tourists visiting western China. In the first half of the year, Chengdu received a total of 1.315 million inbound tourists, up 33.6% year-on-year, primarily from Thailand, Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the United States.

Suo Aili, Assistant General Manager of Sichuan CITS, noted that most overseas tour groups this summer have come from Southeast Asia, with an eight-day itinerary linking Chengdu and Chongqing being a key product.

In Taikoo Li, it is common to encounter overseas tourists speaking various languages. In addition to enjoying "city walks" to experience the blend of ancient and modern charm, shopping is also a major draw. Currently, Chengdu has 734 tax refund stores for departing tourists and 283 "instant tax refund" stores, ranking fifth nationwide.Thai tourist Sam made a special trip to the Pop Mart flagship store in Chengdu, purchasing trendy toy pendants not only for himself but also as proxy purchases for friends..

Comprehensive Upgrade of Inbound Services: Key Scenic Spots Continue to Demonstrate Strong Appeal

Sichuan boasts world-class natural scenery. Key scenic spots such as Jiuzhaigou, Mount Qingcheng, Dujiangyan, Mount Emei, the Leshan Giant Buddha, and Bipenggou have continuously upgraded their services for inbound tourists, unleashing tremendous appeal.

At the Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area, ticket windows have been equipped with transparent translation screens supporting real-time interpretation in 14 languages. Frontline staff are provided with handheld translators and self-guided audio devices in seven languages. A bilingual Chinese-English "Inbound Payment Map" has been launched, and POS terminals accepting foreign bank cards have been deployed throughout the area. Some shops also support "instant tax refunds" upon purchase, making the entry and exit experience smoother for overseas visitors.

The scenic area has partnered with universities to establish a talent pool for speakers of less commonly taught languages and formed multilingual service teams. It has also taken the lead in setting up two service stations for foreigners, offering translation assistance and other services. As of July 31, 2026, the Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area had received 226,500 inbound tourists, with visitor sources concentrated in Southeast Asia, alongside notable increases from the United States, Australia, and Europe.

Today, self-service ticketing machines and multilingual audio guides have been fully rolled out across key scenic spots in the province. Through system upgrades, Mount Emei Scenic Area has achieved synchronized ticket sales across all channels for passport holders. By integrating mainstream payment methods such as UnionPay and Alipay, opening payment channels for foreign accounts, simplifying verification procedures, and enabling direct passport validation for park entry, the entire process—from ticket purchase and payment to park admission—has been seamlessly streamlined.

From July 1 to August 6, 2026, the Mount Qingcheng-Dujiangyan Scenic Area (including the rear mountain) received 30,800 overseas tourists, up 25.18% year-on-year.

As the summer vacation began, scenic spots in western Sichuan, known for their naturally cool climates, welcomed large numbers of inbound tourists.

Jiuzhaigou, renowned as a "fairyland on earth," is lush green in midsummer, and its cool climate has made it a preferred summer retreat for overseas visitors. According to statistics, from January to July 2026, Jiuzhaigou received a total of 272,000 inbound tourists, up 16.61% year-on-year. Starting August 6, reservations for inbound tourists over the following 14 days reached 3,515, indicating sustained high demand during the summer peak season.

Bipenggou, featuring snow-capped mountains and alpine meadows, has also become a popular destination for Southeast Asian tourists. Malaysian bloggers Eethengee and Emiiicheow visited the area to view the snowy peaks and try grass skiing, marveling at the beautiful scenery and photogenic spots everywhere. They highly recommended that Malaysians visit to enjoy the cool and comfortable climate.

Stories of Small Towns: Overseas Tourists Explore More Distinctive Destinations

Data from multiple OTA platforms show that since the beginning of this year, the footprints of inbound tourists have increasingly extended to smaller domestic cities. A number of distinctive small towns in Sichuan, home to natural treasures and cultural relics, have quickly made their way onto the travel lists of overseas visitors.

In Anyue, Ziyang, thousand-year-old Tang and Song dynasty grottoes are gaining international recognition; this year, groups of Thai tourists have traveled specifically to appreciate the stone carvings nestled in the mountains. In Pingwu, Mianyang, the dual experience of nature and culture offered by Wanglang Nature Reserve and Bao'en Temple, known as the "Forbidden City in the Deep Mountains," continues to attract a growing number of inbound tourists. In the tea mountains of Ya'an, the viral popularity of the painting "A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains" has drawn inbound tourists to experience unique Chinese tea garden life, resulting in a significant increase in overseas guests at local homestays.

Leveraging unique branding such as the "Secret Land of Shangri-La," Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture has seen explosive growth in its inbound market this year. In the first half of the year, the prefecture received 194,100 inbound tourists, up 48.85% year-on-year. Its 115 A-level tourist attractions welcomed 125,100 inbound tourists, a surge of 94.34% year-on-year. Behind this substantial growth are signature events such as the Mountain Culture and Tourism Festival and the Mount Gongga International Trail Running Challenge, which have played an indispensable role.

From plateau snow mountains to plain grottoes, and from urban trendy shopping to rural festivals, Sichuan continues to attract global tourists with its comprehensive international supporting facilities, rich and diverse cultural tourism offerings, and differentiated regional characteristics, inviting them to discover the comfort and charm of Splendid Tianfu amid its landscapes and vibrant everyday life.

【本文部分内容由AI辅助生成，特此声明。The author(s) generated part of the content in this work with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI), which is hereby declared.】