Have you recently been "brainwashed" by the internet meme "City不City"?

This meme is a catchy phrase from a foreign vlogger @保保熊 vlogging the trip in China. In the context of this vlog, “City不City” refers to how stylish and urbanized a city is.

In the first quarter of this year, the number of foreigners coming to China increased more than three times compared to the same period in 2023. Among their preferred travel destinations, Xi'an, with its numerous historical sites, cultural heritage, tourist attractions, local cuisine, unique natural scenery, and modern urban landscape, has become one of the most sought-after cities for international tourism.

Official data shows that from January to April 2024, Xi'an welcomed 132,500 inbound tourists. During this year's May Day holiday, Xi'an ranked second in terms of the growth rate of inbound tourism among provincial capitals, with a 197% year-on-year increase in inbound tourist orders.

As one of the 20 cities in China that have implemented the 144-hour visa-free transit policy, citizens from 54 countries can now stay visa-free in specified areas for up to 144 hours when transiting in Xi'an on their way to a third country or region.

→ https://en.nia.gov.cn/n162/n232/c117519/content.html

→ https://en.nia.gov.cn/n162/n227/c116266/content.html

In March of this year, Xi'an Xianyang International Airport launched a pilot zone and service center for foreign visitors’ payments. In more than two months of operation, it has provided payment counseling and services to nearly 10,000 customers, with total foreign-card and foreign-currency transactions exceeding 2 million yuan. Transaction volumes and values in the second quarter of this year were up by more than 50% from the first quarter.

With the increasing number of foreign tourists in Xi'an, to meet the diversified payment needs of international passengers, at the end of June, smart POS machines were added at the customer service centers of 13 metro stations in transportation hubs and those connecting scenic spots in Xi'an. They started accepting foreign cards for metro ticket purchases and other services.

This March, Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum launched the service platform, particularly for foreign visitors. It currently supports ticket reservation service in 24 languages, 29 currencies, and for 39 countries and regions.

At present, all 12 ticket windows of the Xi'an City Wall Scenic Area have been equipped with POS machines available for international bank cards under Visa, Master, or UnionPay.

Launched in April this year, the Overseas Visitors’ Payment Service Center and Payment Service Consultation Center at the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda-Tang Paradise Scenic Area offers services such as currency exchange, cash withdrawal with foreign cards, change for small bills, and assistance with downloading mobile payment app, thereby enhancing the diversity of payment options.