Heritage Revitalization Boosts Tourism Market in Quanzhou, China

Quanzhou, a city rich in cultural heritage located in southeast China’s Fujian province, is experiencing a significant tourism boom. Recently, the director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Lazare Eloundou Assomo, led a delegation to explore the city, which has been recognized as an important global trading hub during the Song and Yuan dynasties. This visit brought renewed attention to Quanzhou’s cultural assets and its potential in the global tourism market.

A Flourishing Tourism Scene

The city’s status as a UNESCO heritage site has injected new vitality into its tourism industry. In recent years, Quanzhou has focused on optimizing its inbound tourism services. The introduction of a 240-hour visa-free transit program has made it significantly easier for international tourists to visit. As a result, during the first half of 2025, Quanzhou welcomed approximately 403,900 tourist visits, marking an impressive 95.5% year-on-year increase. Revenues from international visitors soared to 2.995 billion yuan (around 421 million USD), a rise of 83.3% compared to the same period last year.

Unique Tourist Experiences

The surge in visitor numbers can be attributed to Quanzhou’s unique and culturally rich tourist routes. The city boasts several historical sites, including the millennium-old Kaiyuan Temple and the exotic Qingjing Mosque, each acting as a