Europe is expecting a wave of Chinese tourists. Should it thank Donald Trump?

Europe is basking in summer, with sunny skies, high temperatures – and a surge in Chinese tourists.

Despite lingering challenges such as visa requirements and reduced airline capacity due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the continent’s tourism industry is hopeful that 2025 could mark the highest number of Chinese visitors since the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We’re pretty optimistic. I work at the centre of Brussels and we see a lot of Chinese. I hear Mandarin everywhere,” said Ludivine Destrée, senior marketing manager at the European Travel Commission (ETC).

Europe as a whole, including Switzerland, recorded a 13 per cent year-on-year increase in Chinese tourists during the first half of 2025, according to Destrée.

This momentum is only expected to continue. A recent report by the ETC found that 72 per cent of Chinese tourists expressed a willingness to travel long-haul to the continent. That was well above the global average of 39 per cent, and higher than the US and Japan – two traditionally strong markets – at 33 per cent and 13 per cent respectively.

The unusually low interest from Japanese tourists may be linked to the weakening yen, while Chinese enthusiasm is driven by a mix of factors – including an economic rebound and a renewed appetite for long-distance travel, according to the report.

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