Travel and shopping heat up as 'China Cool' becomes 2026's summer rage

China has witnessed a summer boom in tourism and shopping, with more international visitors coming to shop, dine, explore, and experience the country.

From July 1 to August 25, more than 131,000 international flights were operated, entailing over 14.98 million passenger trips, up about 3% year on year, according to Umetrip, China's official civil aviation travel platform. From January to July, international visitors spent 263.6 billion yuan ($39.3 billion) in China, up 27.8% year on year.

The country is also becoming a popular destination for travelers looking to escape the summer heat. As heatwaves swept across parts of Europe, "ChinaCool" began trending on overseas social media. European countries made up 30% of the top-20 source markets for inbound travel this summer, with bookings up 275% year on year.

Chinese brands and smart products are becoming must-buys for international visitors. In Shanghai, personalized and made-to-order products, from fashion clothing, jewelry, watches to eyewear, are drawing growing interest, with foreign visitors accounting for more than half of the customers at some stores.

Meanwhile, cities are making it easier for international travelers to spend. In Shenzhen, hotels, supermarkets, restaurants, duty-free stores and retail areas at the airport now support contactless payments with overseas bank cards and QR payments through international e-wallets.

And since July 1, an upgraded policy has made the tax-refund process even easier, introducing paperless applications and spot checks for small-value purchases, giving international visitors a smoother shopping and departure experience.