A recent shopping guide created by YouTube bloggers Kinjal and Sushi highlights where in China one can find good deals on electronics and unique, high-quality, and affordable clothing. These creators, who have 479,000 subscribers on the platform, conducted a tour of Shenzhen, showing viewers places to look for trendy goods, electronics, and other products. Their conclusion was that China is a 'shopper's paradise.'
The video garnered 194,000 views and reflects a growing trend on foreign social media: international visitors are coming to China not only to see attractions but increasingly for shopping, exploring Chinese brands, and posting their finds online. This trend has given rise to a new popular term—'China Haul'—used by foreign visitors when filming unboxings and showcasing purchased items during trips to China.
During the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day this year, major ports across China recorded a sharp increase in passenger traffic, both arriving and departing. According to data from the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, 8.783 million tourist visits were registered in Beijing during the Mid-Autumn Festival, generating 11.54 billion yuan ($1.72 billion USD) in tourism revenue. Of this total, 83,000 visits were inbound, contributing 780 million yuan ($116 million USD) in revenue.
In an electronics store in Kunshan, Jiangsu province in eastern China, American music agent James In showed a reporter a drone, a handheld stabilizer, and a wireless microphone he bought in China. The growing range of Chinese goods, including drones, action cameras, other digital devices, goji berry drinks, moxibustion boxes, fashionable toys, silk products, and personalized souvenirs, is making its way into the luggage of foreign tourists.
One common comment under the #ChinaHaul hashtag summarizes this experience: 'Bring an empty suitcase when you go to China because you will be buying until exhaustion.' The rising popularity of Chinese products indicates increasing recognition among overseas consumers. Simultaneously, efforts are being made to improve the shopping experience, making it easier for international guests to stay in China.
For instance, Shanghai has implemented seven measures to simplify mobile payments for foreign visitors, addressing payment issues in key consumption scenarios. Steps have also been taken to optimize tax refund services for departing travelers and to improve multilingual signage and information for visitors in public places. These measures contribute to creating a more welcoming environment for international guests to shop, allowing foreign visitors to more easily discover and consume Chinese goods during their trips.
The growing movement of people between China and the rest of the world creates more opportunities for cultural exchange, travel, and consumption. As more international guests come to China to explore, shop, and experience daily life, Chinese tourists are also traveling further afield, creating a dynamic flow of people, goods, and experiences.
During the National Day holiday in 2026, the theme of Chinese tourists enjoying their Golden Week holiday went viral on foreign social media. Chinese travelers were seen everywhere: from crowded beaches in Australia to packed trains in Italy and popular restaurants in the UK. Data from third-party platforms shows that during this holiday, Chinese tourists visited over 3,800 cities worldwide, with over 1.21 million outbound air tickets booked, a 4% increase compared to the previous year.
The rise in outbound travel is driven by factors such as increased household purchasing power, improvements in paid leave systems, and the growing practice of combining public holidays with annual leave. In 2025, China recorded 148 million outbound tourist trips, a 20.8% increase compared to the previous year, while domestic tourism reached 154 million trips, according to data from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China. The growth in both inbound and outbound tourism underscores China's role as a major source of international tourists and a major destination, demonstrating the growing closeness of China's interaction with the rest of the world.