Storyline: Inbound tourism heats up in China this summer [Voice_over] In Weihai, Shandong – China's closest city to South Korea – inbound tourism jumped 35 percent year on year in just one economic zone. While visa-waivers helped, the real growth came from innovative, localized attractions. [Sound_bite] South Korean Tourist: "I've played ground golf for six years, but never found courses while traveling - until Weihai. It is a brilliant idea to build standardized courses in parks." [Voice_over] Targeting South Korea's booming ground golf community – now over 1 million players – Weihai built China's first professional course, complete with bilingual coaches. A prime example of filling a market gap. [Sound_bite] Yang Binglin, Weihai Tourism Executive: "Our research revealed South Korean travelers want sports-tourism combos. We aim to host 20,000 South Korean visitors here in two years - while attracting locals too." [Voice_over] 1,200 kilometers southwest, Hunan's Phoenix Ancient Town captivates visitors with Miao ethnic culture. This summer, foreign tour groups arrived daily. [Sound_bite] Vietnamese Tourist: "The architecture here is unlike anything in Vietnam - the Miao details are breathtaking. Photos don't do it justice!" [Voice_over] To deepen engagement, the town launched stamp-collecting activities and night-time folk performances. Visitor numbers have soared since June. [Sound_bite] Sun Shiyan, Scenic Staff: "We added themed boat tours and interactive Miao rituals. During summer nights, visitors often stay until 1 or 2 am, still wanting more." [Voice_over] Shanghai, leveraging visa-free policies, saw 1.4 million foreign entries in early 2024 – a 228 percent surge. Its "Shanghai Summer" campaign blends anime festivals with cultural events. In Jiangsu, Nanjing Airport reports peak inbound traffic from Japan, Singapore and Australia, with streamlined services like bilingual signs and multi-province visa extensions. [Sound_bite] Luo Dan, Immigration Officer: "Over 60 percent of foreign travelers used visa waivers here - proving these policies are delivering real results." [Voice_over] Inland hubs are thriving too. Chengdu's foreign entries jumped 61 percent in early July, while Xi'an welcomed 26,000 inbound travelers in just nine days – up 44 percent. From ground golf to ancient traditions, China's tourism revival hinges on understanding global travelers and delivering exactly what they seek. [Restrictions : No access Chinese mainland]