Summary of Key Points
This year, the popularity of inbound tourism has surged, with foreign tourists shifting from group tours to more personalized independent travel. However, independent travel comes with challenges such as ordering food and dealing with unexpected situations. National data shows a significant increase in the number of inbound visitors, indicating the potential for the tourism industry to make a substantial economic contribution in the future. This trend has attracted people from industries like education and hospitality to switch to providing customized inbound travel services (with salaries typically exceeding 10,000 RMB per month, even more during peak seasons). However, practitioners face difficulties such as understanding foreign preferences, integrating resources, and competing for traffic. Many are also cautious due to issues with the capabilities of third-party service providers and a shortage of talent.
Inbound Tourism Is on the Rise: More Foreign Visitors with Different Travel Preferences
This summer, foreign tourists were everywhere in Shanghai streets. They no longer prefer traditional group tours but instead opt for independent travel guided by Instagram posts (for example, French youths exploring the Hengfu area or German women getting manicures). However, independent travel can be problematic: without pictures of dishes, translations may be inaccurate, and customers might order the wrong food (like not wanting liver but ending up with it). In such cases, a local assistant would be very helpful.
Data speaks volumes: in the first quarter of 2026, 21.333 million foreign visitors entered China, a year-on-year increase of 22.3%; the term “China Travel” has become increasingly popular on overseas social media platforms. The World Tourism Council predicts that by 2035, China’s tourism industry will contribute over 27 trillion RMB to the economy (14% of GDP), with international tourists spending 1.5 trillion RMB. This highlights the massive potential of the inbound tourism market, as demand is shifting from standardization to personalization.
The Trend of Career Change: Education and Hospitality Professionals Turning to Inbound Tourism Customization
The prospects in inbound tourism have attracted many professionals to switch careers. Teachers, hotel staff, media personnel, and even former tour guides are becoming custom travel planners. Some work for online travel agencies like Ctrip, while others start their own businesses (for instance, Xiao Nan left an internet travel company and started a team of 10 people to provide customized services and new media content). Custom travel planners’ roles extend beyond just planning itineraries; they also need to handle unexpected situations. For example, a Ctrip planner named Qin Lanyue helped a Thai customer with a child’s fever by arranging medical care and adjusting the itinerary, which was greatly appreciated by the client. Salaries for custom travel planners generally exceed 10,000 RMB per month, with higher earnings during peak seasons (20,000 RMB or more), and even higher for those who start their own businesses with a stable customer base.
Challenges of Entering This Field: Understanding Foreign Preferences and Competing for Traffic
Despite the opportunities, entering the inbound tourism customization business comes with significant pressures:
1. Unpredictable demand: Foreigners have unique preferences—some want to visit Beijing’s farmers’ markets, while others specifically seek high-speed rail experiences. Itaries must be flexible and often adjust itineraries on the spot, incorporating themes like Miao culture in Yunnan and Guizhou or intangible cultural heritage in the Yangtze River Delta region.
2. High content creation costs: constant monitoring of overseas social media (such as Instagram and Twitter) is necessary to understand foreign travelers’ interests. For example, Xiao Nan’s team’s Sichuan mahjong and ear-picking experiences were successful, but this required extensive on-site research and communication with locals, which was time-consuming and costly.
3. AI’s limitations: AI-generated itineraries lack personal touch; good plans still require human insight and creativity.
4. Fierce competition for traffic: Small companies must compete with large OTA platforms by investing in overseas social media and collaborating with influencers. Without a customer base, it can be difficult to make a profit.
5. High work intensity: Due to time zones, travel planners need to be available 24/7 to respond to customers’ needs and handle any emergencies that arise during the journey.
Hesitations from Potential Entrants: Resource Integration and Talent Challenges
Many are interested but hesitant due to various obstacles:
1. Weak third-party service capabilities: Travel involves a long chain from online booking to in-person experiences, and connecting all the necessary parties can be challenging. For example, finding suitable local partners may require language skills or appealing designs that attract foreign tourists.
2. Talent shortage: Finding people with good foreign language skills is difficult, and they often have high salary expectations, which can be a financial strain for small businesses. Even if employees speak English, they may lack the confidence to communicate effectively with foreigners.
3. Financial constraints: The industry is still recovering from the pandemic, and many companies are focusing on domestic tourism, limiting their ability to invest in inbound tourism.
Inbound tourism has indeed revitalized the travel entrepreneurship scene, but success depends on overcoming these challenges—such as accurately understanding foreign customer needs, effectively integrating resources, and securing the right talent. There is still much room for growth in this market, but the answers to these issues are still evolving.