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"China Travel" boom creates new job opportunities for young people

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      China

      China

      "China Travel" boom creates new job opportunities for young people

      2025-03-15 23:28 Last Updated At:03-16 00:17

      China's growing appeal as a travel destination, fueled by its diverse offerings and visitor-friendly policies, has not only drawn a surge of international tourists, but also created new employment opportunities, particularly for the country's youth.

      Over the past year, China has enhanced its unilateral visa-free policy, expanding it to include 38 countries and allowing stays of up to 30 days. This has helped transform Shanghai, the top destination for foreign tourists, which welcomed over 6.5 million international travelers in 2024, with many of them choosing the city as their first stop in China.

      The "China Travel" boom has given rise to a new generation of private tour guides, like Liu Lichao, who left his 8-year banking career in Shanghai to pursue this fulfilling profession full-time.

      Liu leads curated cycling tours through the city's historic streets and vibrant neighborhoods, enabling foreign tourists to experience everything from architectural landmarks like the iconic Wukang Mansion, a hot photo spot for its unique architecture style and rich story, to traditional arts and local cuisine.

      The historical building, designed by a Hungarian-Slovak architect and completed in 1924, has been the residence of many celebrities.

      Liu's tailored tour routes have garnered praise and recommendations from numerous clients. His personal social media account chronicles joyful moments from his guided tours.

      "Cycling allows them (foreigners) to witness the different facets of life and the spirit of the city. In the parks, they witness locals engaging in various activities like dancing, Tai Chi, calligraphy, and choir singing. When the weather is good, there is an abundance of fun activities. The locals are very welcoming, with the elderly often inviting them to join their dances," said Liu.

      Liu is familiar with Shanghai, where he attended university. He initially started as a part-time English tour guide on weekends while still working in finance. As more foreigners come to visit Shanghai, he sees rise in his incomes. English-speaking guides can earn around 800 yuan (about 110 U.S. dollars) per day and those fluent in other languages can fetch up to 1,000 yuan (about 138 U.S. dollars) daily.

      The surge in inbound tourism has led to a sharp increase in demand for foreign language guides, with some agencies struggling to fill open positions. This prompted Liu to make the leap to full-time guiding in April of last year. While a contract with a travel agency provides access to a wider client base, Liu's online presence has also played a crucial role in his success. After posting a vlog of one of his tours (with the tourists' permission), he saw a significant increase in bookings.

      "Especially after the Spring Festival, bookings surged, with some extending into April and May," he said.

      For Liu, the rewards extend beyond financial gain. He has found deep satisfaction in facilitating cultural exchanges and fostering understanding between China and the rest of the world.

      "A major motivation for me to pursue this profession comes from the tremendous fulfillment it brings me. Through my perspective and deep cultural exchanges, I can show foreign visitors what our past was like, explain how the Chinese people's diligence has driven the nation's development to its current state, where our resilience originates, and showcase our national character," said Liu.

      After nearly a year in this role, Liu is satisfied with his current career path, highlighting the rewarding nature of his job in the thriving tourism landscape of China.

      "China Travel" boom creates new job opportunities for young people

      "China Travel" boom creates new job opportunities for young people

      "China Travel" boom creates new job opportunities for young people

      "China Travel" boom creates new job opportunities for young people

      China Media Group (CMG) held a dialogue on Friday in Bogota, the capital of Colombia, bringing together political, business, academic, and media representatives to explore the opportunities that China's high-quality development presents for the world, particularly for developing countries.

      The event was part of CMG's "China in Spring Time: Sharing Opportunities with the World" Global Dialogue series and gathered about 150 representatives from both China and Colombia for in-depth exchanges.

      Speaking via video link, CMG President Shen Haixiong noted that China's annual "two sessions" showcased the country's vitality in a new era. The two sessions refer to the annual meetings of China's national legislature, the National People's Congress (NPC), and the top political advisory body, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

      At this year's "two sessions," Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized the need to steadily expand institutional opening-up and continuously broaden space for international cooperation, Shen said. He added that China will continue to open even wider to the world.

      Chinese Ambassador to Colombia, Zhu Jingyang, said the recently concluded "two sessions" attracted global attention. He emphasized that China will remain committed to high-quality development and high-level opening-up, providing fresh momentum for the recovery and growth of the global economy.

      This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Colombia, as well as the 10th anniversary of the official operation of the China-CELAC Forum, said Zhu.

      He added that China and Colombia should seize this opportunity and uphold the principles of equality, mutual benefit, and win-win cooperation to build a better future for their relations and usher in a new chapter in the China-Latin America community with a shared future.

      "More than expectations, we have come to reaffirm the national government's willingness to strengthen this strategic relationship between the two nations. Clearly, it is focused on trade, and on readjusting trade conditions, so to speak, in accordance with the existing agreement," said Cielo Rusinque, current Superintendent of Colombia's Superintendency of Industry and Commerce.

      Guillermo Puyana, President of the Colombia-China Friendship Association, said the world seeks to understand China's modernization path through the information released during the "two sessions."

      He added that Colombia has admired China's development philosophy and achievements since the two countries established diplomatic relations 45 years ago, and that China's commitment to peaceful development holds great significance for Colombia and other Latin American nations.

      "The important investments from China in technology and infrastructure, as well as the strategic relationship and economic benefits that the Chinese development model brings to countries like Colombia, [hold very important significance]," said Puyana.

      Colombian youth representative Julio Andres Saavedra said that with China's assistance, the construction of Bogota Metro Line 1 is in full swing, helping Colombia realize its dream of building a metro system on the plateau.

      Guests attending the dialogue also viewed the international promotional video for China's blockbuster animated film "Ne Zha 2".

      Many local mainstream media outlets in Colombia, such as the Colombian National Television and El Tiempo, reported on the dialogue.

      CMG hosts dialogue in Colombia on opportunities from China's high-quality development

      CMG hosts dialogue in Colombia on opportunities from China's high-quality development

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