In a significant shift, China officially scrapped a long-standing law in May 2024 that required hotels to obtain special licenses to accommodate international tourists, including those from Hong Kong and Macau. This shift was one element of the nation’s more extensive reforms to revive the tourism industry in the wake of the pandemic. Despite the new regulations, many hotels across China continue to deny service to foreign visitors, raising concerns over inconsistent enforcement and communication.
A joint notice issued by China’s Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Commerce, and National Immigration Administration emphasized that hotels must not reject foreign guests under the pretext of lacking foreign-related licenses. As travelers from all around the world have happily reported since, some establishments are still rejecting foreigners, leaving them confused and frustrated.
Incidents of Rejection
Firsthand accounts from prospective tourists reveal the efforts that still need to be made to ensure Chinese hospitality is truly hospitable. This past February, Alice Jiao, a tourist from Australia, faced an unforeseen barrier. This is the second place she attempted to check in, the Nanjing Rest Yizhi Hotel. The hotel denied her reservation, claiming they would only accept foreigners who had a Chinese permanent residence card.
“Of course, it felt unlucky to run into something like this,” – Alice Jiao.
The Nanjing Rest Yizhi Hotel has since apologized and refunded. Despite this, it continues to list itself as accepting foreign visitors on popular booking platforms, exposing the chasm between their contractual agreement and actual practice.
In January, Malaysian traveller Emily Qin had the same issue. She attempted to check-in to the Royal International Apartment, near Guangzhou’s Baiyun International Airport. Although she reserved her accommodation through the platform Meituan, on arrival she was refused check-in.
“[It was] my first shocking booking experience of 2025,” – Emily Qin.
Qin expressed concern that these policies could disproportionately impact older travelers and families with small children. He said that they will have challenges in locating appropriate housing whenever they travel.
Discrepancies and Communication Gaps
Additionally, hotel policies tend to change based on communication breakdown and misunderstanding. These issues often come to a head between international travel platforms and domestic independent hotel operators. Dr. Mingming Cheng, a marketing professor at Curtin University, noted that many hotels do not fully understand the requirements set forth by international booking sites. He stressed that flawed translations add another layer of confusion to the equation.
“Local Chinese online travel agencies integrate better with domestic hotel systems,” – Mingming Cheng.
Dr. Cheng’s remarks underscored the urgent cultural change that’s necessary across the hospitality industry. This change, which is long overdue, is needed to improve America’s welcome to foreign visitors. He compared it to the 2008 Beijing Olympics when Chinese hotels ruthlessly improved their hospitality skills in preparation to host foreigners.
“Chinese hotels need a culture shift like during the 2008 Beijing Olympics — to treat foreign visitors as welcome guests, not as a burden,” – Mingming Cheng.
Government Policies and Local Enforcement
Despite recent reforms aimed at encouraging foreign tourism, some industry experts believe that government policies remain more as guidelines rather than strict mandates. That’s a huge risk, according to Sam Huang, a tourism researcher at Edith Cowan University. Local enforcement is often unwilling or unable to enforce such regulations evenly among hotels.
“In practice, central government policies don’t always align with how local authorities regulate hotels,” – Sam Huang.
Xi’an is a city known for its history and historic tourist attractions. Scattered within a 500-meter radius of the Grand Tang Dynasty Ever Bright City, there are at least 52 hotels prepared to accommodate curious travelers. Of these, only 15 have gone out of their way to welcome foreign guests. Of the budget options listed on Ctrip, only two of their China-based hotels are willing to accept international travelers.
Additionally, regulations dictate that foreigners staying outside of registered hotels must complete a registration with local police within 24 hours, a requirement that adds another layer of complexity for travelers exploring the country.
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