Fast forward a few years and huddled around key tourism photo opportunities, the crowds looked Asian and without exception, they seemed to pull a ‘v sign’ with their first two fingers whilst smiling towards the camera. The 1990s was the age of the ‘Japanese tourist’. But not too far behind them, another group of Asian tourists was just as eager to enjoy their new-found wealth and appetite for all things European. Yet this tourist sector became genuinely huge. Hailing from the most populous country in the world and one that has embarked on an economic development strategy that saw some years the reaping of 20% development rates. This level of economic development had never been seen before. Neither had the beneficiaries of this project as they arrived in their droves to experience tourism in Europe.

As Chinese tourism became commonplace across Europe, its growth became so considerable that if one looked out across some open expanses at tourist locations, or even down the walkways at some UK universities, one would ONLY see Chinese faces. Not only were these visitors bringing money and taking with them a positive notion of European culture, but they also created pockets of Chinese culture for us to enjoy here in the form of restaurants, and stores and the uptake of mainly Mandarin language began to take hold. Albeit slowly, yet, ‘as is the way’, particularly in the UK.

COVID hit all countries hard and every sector suffered in some way or other. But industries like tourism halted completely. Pondering when the Chinese tourists would return in their numbers, many import industries watched China’s zero-COVID policy with bated breath. Flights between the UK and China had been indirect since the first year of the pandemic. When China abandoned its strict COVID management in December 2022, the world expected the Chinese floodgates to open rapidly, and flights to resume as normal, with business and tourism numbers returning to pre-COVID levels rapidly. Yet, this was not the case. The bounceback has indeed been a gradual one

Domestically, China’s local tourist industry is still only back to 90 per cent of its pre-pandemic volume, according to Bloomberg. But the good news is, although tourism levels are slow to pick up pace, there are provisions in place to foster even greater levels of tourism. Although Mainland Chinese tourists require a visa for Hong Kong entry, this part of Guangdong Province is setting an example to attract mainland tourists through the widespread implementation of facilities accepting Digital Yuan, China’s blockchain currency. With nearly all Chinese people, from all age groups, being used to contactless digital payments through WeChat and AliPay, forward-thinking moves from the Bank of China to encourage the rollout of Digital Yuan to over 200 stores across Hong Kong clearly indicates the readiness to welcome Mainland Chinese Tourists back, according to coingeek.com.

But there’s a great deal of hope for European tourism too, as Travel and Tour World details how Barcelona recently welcomed a group of visitors from Guangzhou. In conjunction with a high-profile press campaign, including an esteemed Chinese Tourist Guide, Chen Tingting, the group were shown iconic landmarks, a stunt aimed to prove that Chinese Tourists are returning in greater numbers.

Whilst many European tour operators are asking the question “Where are all the Chinese Tourists?” Campaign reveals that, although Chinese tourist sectors are making a cautious return to European travel, the pace is surely gaining, albeit slowly. Research and analysis company, Tourism Economics, reports that, although there has been a lift in numbers throughout 2023, Chinese arrivals in most European destinations remain circa 60 per cent below pre-pandemic levels. The inbound numbers around the Lunar New Year were said to be largely related to visiting friends and relatives and further growth will be monitored closely.

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In July 2021, I finally flew from London Heathrow, one of the world’s busiest airports, of course, leaving a country that had seemingly moved on from COVID restrictions. This article doesn’t consider the author’s opinions on COVID and COVID restrictions, it purely conveys a first-hand experience of both the UK and China, back-to-back.

Organising my flight to China was my introductory lesson into the workings of China’s zero-COVID policy. As virus variants emerged, China restricted flights from their hotspots and origins, with the UK falling under this remit as the Delta variant swept around the world. Direct flights were, therefore, unavailable, and one of the only routes into China for Travellers originating from the UK was from London Heathrow to Frankfurt, then to Nanjing.

Two days before flying, though, all travellers must have both a nucleic acid test and an IgM blood test at a Chinese government-approved testing organisation. Negative test data must then be shared with the Chinese government via a website, which then issues a green health code, valid for just 48 hours, that must be produced in order to be allowed to fly. Then, once again in Frankfurt, the same test, results and health code procedures must be undertaken for travellers to be allowed onwards to China.

On landing in China, the very first thing travellers are asked to do is to have a nucleic acid test administered, and then they are ushered onto coaches and taken to a pre-determined quarantine hotel where they must stay for 14-days before quarantining again under the supervision and testing of their local community.

What Zero COVID means

Day-to-day life in China leaves no room for COVID, and the local government reacts very rapidly to any reported cases. Cases are picked up on quickly, as testing is widespread. Staff members at medical facilities are widely tested twice weekly, and government and education staff receive regular tests.

Test data is fed through WeChat, China’s main social media app, and the app features a health code mini program, namely “Wenzhou (or relevant city name) Epidemic Prevention Code” (see right) that demonstrates the user’s health, and therefore, their freedom to access any place, from a university campus to a shop, a hotel to a restaurant. This health feature also conveys the user’s test time and results, their vaccination status, as well as an itinerary of where they have recently travelled. A current, local update is required to acquire a green health code certificate, allowing the holder into any restaurant, cafe, shopping centre and so forth.

As was the case in the spring of 2022, cases were on the rise in Shanghai. Despite the importance of Shanghai to China’s economy, the city of 26m people was put under strict lockdown for circa 2 months. Similar lockdowns threaten any city with ongoing positive COVID-19 cases.

Experience in Wenzhou

A tier 2 city, throughout the spring of 2022, Wenzhou periodically reported low numbers of COVID cases. In response, public events were cancelled. There were periods when classes at universities were rescheduled, and university campuses were cordoned-off for weeks and months at a time.

As part of my contract with a local university, as of June 2022, I am required every day to message my boss through WeChat, stating that I have not left the city.

Every Monday and Friday, I must take a screengrab of my travel itinerary (see left). This is part of the AliPay payment app which states where and when one has travelled. It also conveys your latest COVID-19 test status.

Also, every Tuesday, I must have a free-of-charge COVID-19 test at a testing station within the local university campus. To do so, I show them the screen of my “Wenzhou Epidemic Prevention Code” WeChat mini-program (top right). This is the aforementioned mini-program that enables one to board transport and enter eating, social, and retail establishments. The testing team scans the QR code on the screen, which identifies me, and then I receive my test.  My test results, and COVID status show within my apps shortly after.

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Roll on 2021 in Wenzhou and more so than last time, I a, by far one of the only people paying for things using cash as I await my first paycheque and thus, the activation of my Wechat Pay and Alipay.  Yes, there are ways around using both of these without a Chinese bank card i.e. ask a Chinese friend to transfer balance or use Alipay’s tourist feature. Anyway, China Construction Bank always coughs up my money at its cash machines and for an OK fee, so there’s no rush there. Besides, I do like the non-traceable and bargaining aspect of cash, not that I’m doing anything underhand whatsoever. But after receiving my residence permit, it’s my next step towards temporary Chinese citizenship for the next year or two.

We’re tracked and traced wherever we are on the planet, but once I add my financial details and behaviours to Chinese social media accounts, I’ve voluntarily submerged myself one level deeper. 

But the takeaway from this is, if you don’t use cashless platforms in China, prepare to go without, as I found the other day in a Starbucks in a busy part of the city. After ordering my bing cafe (mai you niu nai if you ever offer) the cashier informed me that they had no change for my 50 yuan note, unless I could wait 5 minutes.  With a mounting queue behind me and a need to get my backside in gear, I responded that “no harsh feelings, but I can’t wait for my change.  The plus side is though that I then went to my local Chinese coffee shop, where, bar the second-hand smoke, the overall experience is far superior: better, far cheaper coffee, lemon water, toasted sunflower seeds and warm, genuine local company. However, Wenzhou Hua, whaaaaat theeeeee!!??

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