Foreign tourists check out at a market in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, on Jan. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng)

BEIJING, May 2 (Xinhua) -- As China kicked off the five-day May Day holiday, a growing number of foreign tourists are traveling to the country not just to see the Great Wall or shop in fashionable malls, but to soak in 24-hour bathhouses, try traditional Chinese medicine treatments, and savor late-night hotpot in pajamas inside urban spas -- a sign that experiencing everyday Chinese life has become a major draw for international tourists.

China is set to see a surge in cross-border travel during the holiday, with inbound and outbound passenger flows expected to average 2.25 million and peak at more than 2.4 million in a single day, the National Immigration Administration said. Beijing has already seen over 2.28 million foreign entries and exits this year, up 34 percent year-on-year, reflecting sustained growth in inbound tourism.

Driving this wave are a growing number of international travelers, who are shifting from "traveling in China" and "shopping in China" to an all-around experience of local life, according to Dai Bin, president of the China Tourism Academy.

"'Becoming Chinese' has become a buzzword on overseas social media platforms," Dai told Xinhua in a recent interview.

Dai attributed the surge to a series of facilitation policies. China has expanded its unilateral visa-free access to 50 countries and extended mutual visa-exemption agreements to 29 countries. Plus, travelers from 55 countries can take advantage of a 240-hour visa-free transit policy to visit China. Optimized duty-free and tax-refund schemes and easier payment services are also conducive, he added.

A recent Bloomberg report, citing the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and Chase Travel, noted that China's travel and tourism economy grew 9.9 percent last year -- more than twice the global average. The growth was largely driven by a more than 10 percent increase in foreign tourist spending in China in 2025. "China could become the world's largest tourism economy by the end of the decade," WTTC President and CEO Gloria Guevara was quoted as saying.

One striking manifestation of the "living like a local" trend is the viral popularity of 24-hour Chinese bathhouses, or "China spas," on overseas social media platforms such as TikTok and YouTube.

"Tourism is about experiencing a beautiful life away from home -- a life that should be enjoyed by both locals and visitors alike," Dai said. "I hope more foreign visitors come to experience not only the splendor of China's mountains and rivers, but also the charm of culture and everyday life."

The China appeal is evident in traveler source countries, with Australia as a case in point. The Brisbane Times reported that China has become the fifth most-visited destination for Australian travelers, with Australians visiting China surging by about 16 percent to more than 700,000 over the past 12 months.

Bookings to China jumped 90 percent year-on-year, the newspaper reported, quoting Simon Bell of Wendy Wu Tours Australia. "Australians are increasingly looking to go beyond the surface. There's a growing appreciation that a trip to China is about deeper, more meaningful travel experiences," Bell said.

Meanwhile, the contribution of Belt and Road partner countries and Global South nations to China's inbound tourism growth has risen significantly, according to Dai.

Dai noted that inbound tourists are going beyond metropolises to second- and third-tier cities and even counties with distinctive features, venturing beyond tourist attractions into all corners of local people's lives.

The expert is upbeat about the future. "A plan on strengthening China's tourism sector in 2026-2030 will be released this year, promoting deeper integration of culture and tourism, further facilitating inbound travel, and unlocking consumption potential," he said.