During the 2026 Qingming holiday, Xi'an tourism boomed. According to Ctrip, China's top online travel platform, the Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum became a top cultural heritage pick for Western visitors, boosting Xi'an's inbound tourism and consumption.

Data shows that inbound travel orders to China nearly doubled over the Qingming holiday, with demand from countries eligible for visa-free entry to China growing over three times faster than from other nations. The Terracotta Army resonates strongly with Western visitors: over half of tourists from Italy, the U.S., Spain and beyond prioritized cultural heritage sites, leaving the mausoleum museum fully booked. To handle the surge, 5,000 extra tickets were added daily (totaling 70,000), opening hours were extended by one hour, and the share of overseas visitors rose sharply.

Xi'an remains a top destination for inbound tourism, with hotel bookings up over 30% year on year. Visitor growth from countries with visa-free access to China is nearly three times higher than from other nations. Cultural venues were fully booked, including the Shaanxi History Museum and Xi'an Museum. Tang Dynasty-themed performances proved extremely popular, while events like the cherry blossom season at Qinglong Temple and Tang-style shows at Tang Paradise drew large numbers of overseas visitors for immersive cultural experiences.

Fueled by supportive policies, Xi'an has transformed into a core destination for inbound tourism. The city has enhanced services for overseas visitors—streamlining customs, payments, and tax refunds—to leverage its rich Tang dynasty heritage and World Heritage sites. This strategy has successfully broadened its appeal, attracting visitors from more diverse cities and establishing Xi'an as a new engine for tourism growth.

On Mar 20, Chinese authorities released a package of policy measures aimed at boosting spending by foreign tourists and enhancing exports of tourism services, as part of broader efforts to expand the country's service sector.

Looking ahead, Xi'an aims to enhance the international visitor experience by delving deeper into its cultural heritage and diversifying its tourism offerings. The city's goal is to create more immersive attractions that will further stimulate its vibrant cultural and tourism economy.