On July 1, the Ningbo Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, and Tourism officially released the Three-Year Inbound Tourism Doubling Action Plan (2025–2027) (hereinafter referred to as the “Plan”). The Plan sets a clear goal of building Ningbo into a top international tourism destination, establishing a bilingual city tourism brand — “宁波，来了就欢喜” and “In Ningbo, Enjoy” — and aims to double the number of inbound tourists by 2027.

According to the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, from January to May this year, the number of inbound overnight visitors to Ningbo increased by 18.6% year-on-year. So, what are the highlights of this Plan? Let’s take a closer look.

Building an International Vibe

According to the Plan, Ningbo will deeply integrate its unique tourism resources — such as the ancient Maritime Silk Road port, Buddhist landmarks, merchant heritage, and coastal cityscapes — to launch specialised inbound tourism products. Key destinations will include scenic areas like Xikou-Tengtou, Tianyi Pavilion and Moon Lake, Dongqian Lake, and the Old Bund. Ningbo will promote its brand as the “Most Beautiful Coastline at Latitude 30°N” and shape a tourism image that is both distinctive to Ningbo and globally appealing.

Additionally, Ningbo will develop a network of “instant tax refund” stores in major shopping districts, speciality streets, and popular attractions to promote local speciality products. Leveraging its status as the world’s largest port, the city will launch air-sea multimodal tourism routes to attract more foreign seafarers. It will also utilize the 240-hour visa-free transit policy at Ningbo’s airport to promote coordinated policies across the Yangtze River Delta and design targeted transit tour packages for travellers on routes such as Budapest–Ningbo–Ho Chi Minh City.

Targeting Key Source Markets

The Plan outlines a two-pronged strategy of “going out” and “bringing in.” Ningbo will consolidate and expand the Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan markets, tap into the medium-range markets of Japan, South Korea, and Southeast Asia, and actively explore long-haul high-end markets in Europe and the U.S. It will also focus on emerging markets in countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative.

By leveraging the international passenger flow and airport advantages of major Yangtze River Delta cities, Ningbo will strengthen partnerships with leading travel agencies and overseas institutions to attract more inbound tourists.

Furthermore, Ningbo will expand its overseas marketing channels. Through government procurement of services, it will establish overseas city tourism promotion centers. It will also enhance international media outreach via major global platforms and promote Ningbo through foreign social media. Foreign nationals will be encouraged to tell Ningbo’s stories, and a group of international cultural and tourism ambassadors will be selected. Overseas influencers will be invited to experience “China Travel” in Ningbo.

Upgrading the Service System

The Plan emphasises improving convenience. Ningbo will advance “one-stop” reform for the entire inbound tourism process, including setting up integrated service booths at the airport to offer standardised services for communication, transportation, and payments. A bilingual Inbound Tourism Guide to Ningbo will be published, and comprehensive tourism insurance policies will be improved to ensure safety and service quality.

Accessibility will also be enhanced. The number of international (regional) routes at Ningbo Airport will gradually increase. International passenger flights will be restored in an orderly manner, with higher flight frequencies and optimised networks. Charter flights from overseas cities will be supported to make direct inbound travel more convenient. Public transportation for foreign travellers in Ningbo will be improved, with better bilingual signage and information systems.

Experience quality will be a key focus. A group of pilot zones for inbound tourism services will be created, promoting payment innovations such as “foreign card binding to local apps” and enabling international mobile payment systems. Acceptance of foreign bank cards and foreign currency exchange points will be expanded. Bilingual signage in key cultural and tourism sites will be improved, and staff training will be strengthened to enhance the overall tourist experience.

Stronger Policy Support

The Plan states that Ningbo will set up a dedicated fund for inbound tourism to support service system development and overseas marketing. It encourages financial institutions to explore models for supporting inbound tourism and to offer diversified financial services for relevant projects.

Talent development will also be strengthened. Ningbo will build a skilled workforce in foreign tourism management, creative planning, marketing, and multilingual communication. A volunteer team proficient in multiple languages will be formed. Training for tourism staff will be enhanced, and the city will boost its tour guide training programs, using platforms like the National Gold Guide competition to raise overall service standards.

Policy Highlights

To support the Plan, Ningbo has also introduced the Administrative Measures for the Inbound Tourism Special Fund. This policy focuses on:

• Encouraging the use of the 240-hour visa-free transit policy to attract more travellers to enter or leave through Ningbo.

• Subsidising stores that offer “instant tax refund” services to foreign shoppers.

• Providing funding to enterprises and organisations that develop inbound tourism products or attract foreign tourists for overnight stays.

Eligible enterprises can receive subsidies of up to 1 million yuan annually, based on the highest applicable support category, without duplication.

Source: Yongpai

Reporter: Xie Shuyi

Editor: Ye Ke