Spanish tourists experience stone carving in Qingtian county, Lishui, Zhejiang province. [Photo/Tide News]

China saw a surge in inbound tourism in the first quarter of 2026. Riding this wave, Qingtian county in Lishui, Zhejiang province, has leveraged its overseas diaspora of 380,000 people, spread across 146 countries, to become an international tourism hub.

The county will offer generous perks throughout 2026. These include free airport transfers, free admission to 4A scenic spots and cultural venues, dining and accommodation vouchers, and discounts. Seven themed routes highlight stone carving, European-style leisure, rural camping, and agricultural heritage experiences.

A Spanish tour group of 18, which visited in March, was the first group of the year to benefit from the policies. They visited the Qingtian Stone Carving Museum, Shimen Cave scenic area, and other sites, where they were awestruck by the carvings and landscapes.

The 7th Overseas Chinese Imported Commodity Expo also drew international visitors, with an Italian tourist praising the fusion of modern light shows and European architecture. Representatives from US and Spanish professional basketball teams visited Shimen Cave in July 2025, adding a sports-tourism dimension.

A Spanish culture and tourism inspection team came to Qingtian in October 2025 to scout routes. One of its members praised Qingtian's preserved rural lifestyle and promised to promote the county to Spanish travelers.

Moving forward, Qingtian will improve multilingual signage, recruit foreign-language guides, and establish regular tour services to solidify its role as a window into modern China.