An increasing number of international visitors are being drawn to China to explore its rich culture, visit its iconic landmarks, savor its diverse cuisine, and experience its unique folk traditions, thanks to the country's continuous expansion of its visa-free policy.

This surge in tourism has also driven a significant rise in consumer spending.

During the Chinese New Year, Alipay, a leading digital payment platform in China, saw a sharp increase in usage among international travelers. In the first five days of the holiday (Jan 28-Feb 1), spending via Alipay among inbound tourists surged by 150 percent year on year.

The number of merchants catering to international visitors and accepting Alipay also doubled.

Spending among travelers from China's expanding visa-free network saw an even greater increase.

Visitors from countries eligible for the 240-hour transit visa exemption and China's unilateral visa-free policy spent nearly three times as much on Alipay during this year's Spring Festival.

As always, Shanghai remained one of the top destinations for inbound tourists over the holiday.

Two of Shanghai's attractions — the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum and Yuyuan Garden — were among the top 10 attractions most frequented by inbound visitors using Alipay.

Source: Shanghai Observer