Core Insights - The service trade in China experienced rapid growth in Q1 2025, with a total import and export value of 19,741.8 billion RMB, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 8.7% [1] Summary by Categories Overall Service Trade Performance - Total service trade value reached 19,741.8 billion RMB, with exports at 8,351.5 billion RMB (up 12.2%) and imports at 11,390.3 billion RMB (up 6.2%) [1] - The service trade deficit was 3,038.8 billion RMB, which is a decrease of 244.6 billion RMB compared to the same period last year [1] Travel Services - Travel services showed the fastest growth, with total import and export value reaching 5,849 billion RMB, marking a growth of 21.8% [1] - Exports in travel services surged by 97.5%, while imports increased by 14.9% [1]

Core Insights - The report indicates a significant recovery in China's inbound tourism market, with an expected reception of 131.9 million inbound tourists in 2024, representing a 61% year-on-year increase and recovering to over 90% of 2019 levels [3][5] Group 1: Market Recovery - The recovery of the inbound tourism market is attributed to various facilitation policies, including visa, payment, and accommodation improvements [3][6] - By the end of 2024, China will implement unilateral visa-free policies for citizens from 38 countries, in addition to 25 countries with mutual visa exemptions, totaling 63 countries benefiting from these policies [3][6] - The inbound tourism market from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan remains the largest, with 104.96 million tourists, a 54% increase, accounting for about 80% of the market [3][5] Group 2: City Performance - Major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen show high inbound tourist reception levels, each receiving close to or exceeding 4 million tourists in 2024 [5] - Shanghai and Shenzhen lead in inbound tourist numbers, with 977 million and 671 million overnight visitors, respectively [5] Group 3: Future Outlook - The first quarter of this year saw increased searches for flights and accommodations to China, indicating sustained demand for inbound tourism [6] - The integration of AI technology into travel services is expected to transform the inbound tourism sector, enhancing service standardization and market dynamics [6] Group 4: Recommendations for Development - The report suggests enhancing travel convenience for inbound tourists by optimizing existing visa facilitation policies and implementing electronic visas and smart entry procedures [7] - It emphasizes the need to address common pain points for foreign tourists, such as language barriers and access to information, to improve the overall travel experience [7] - Establishing a national marketing promotion system and a government platform for inbound tourism management is recommended to coordinate efforts between national and local tourism promotion [7]