UK–China Visa-Free Travel Is Here: 3 Essential Tips for Chinese Businesses Targeting UK Tourists

UK Prime Minister announced that UK passport holders will soon be able to visit China visa-free for up to 30 days, signalling HUGE opportunities for Chinese businesses

Last week, some genuinely exciting news was announced for those of us interested in UK–China relations…

During Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s state visit, United Kingdom and China confirmed that UK passport holders will soon be able to visit China visa-free for up to 30 days.

That’s huge.

I know first-hand how much the visa process has put people off. My own family has delayed trips to China in the past because of visa requirements – my husband and children all needed visas, which added cost, paperwork and stress before the journey had even begun.

Removing that barrier will be a gamechanger for China’s tourism industry and potentially have a ripple effect across the wider economy.

More specifically, for Chinese tourism businesses, attractions and destinations, this announcement opens up a real, time-sensitive opportunity.

Why this visa-free policy matters for inbound tourism from the UK

UK travellers are curious, well-travelled and increasingly keen on long-haul experiences that feel meaningful – culture, food, history and unique local experiences.

But until now, China often felt too complicated, too much ‘faff’, compared to other destinations.

It meant dealing with Chinese bureaucracy and shelling out hundreds of pounds on visa fees alone for a family trip.

Visa-free entry removes one of the biggest psychological barriers. As a result, we’re likely to see:

• A noticeable increase in UK tourists considering China for holidays

• More last-minute and short-notice travel planning

• Greater reliance on English-language online research when choosing where to go

Which leads to one clear conclusion:

If your website, brochures or marketing content aren’t available in clear, natural English, you risk being invisible to UK visitors!

Top 3 Practical Tips to Help Chinese Businesses Attract More UK Tourists

1. Understand what UK visitors actually care about

Obviously, UK travellers aren’t a monolithic entity and as such, they all have different priorities and preferences, but some clear preferences can be discerned:

• Clarity and transparency – UK tourists seek clear pricing, opening times, transport info, and what’s included. Typically, they don’t like unpleasant surprises and like to know exactly what to expect and what they’re getting when they book an activity.

• Authenticity – UK tourists crave real local culture. Many actively seek out ‘off-the-beaten-track’ attractions and experiences (that will make them look extra savvy on Instagram!)

• Good customer service and ideally English-speaking staff – UK tourists aren’t generally known for being multilingual and typically expect good customer service delivered in English.

Your website and marketing material should reflect these priorities in order to win their trust.

2. Prioritise localisation, not just translation

This is where many businesses go wrong.

Direct, literal translation from Chinese into English often results in Chinglish – awkward phrasing, unnatural tone, or sentences that technically make sense but don’t feel right.

To a UK reader, this immediately signals ‘foreign’ and, unfortunately, can come across as unprofessional. It simply isn’t conducive to building trust.

Best practice:

• Avoid raw machine translation for public-facing content

• If machine translation is used, always have it polished by a native or near-native English professional

• Work with a qualified Chinese-to-English translator who understands marketing language and UK cultural expectations

3. Be visible where UK tourists actually do their research – on Western social media

Here’s something many Chinese businesses underestimate.

Younger UK travellers (and increasingly, not-so-young ones too) don’t start their research on search engines alone – and they certainly won’t be checking Baidu, Xiaohongshu or Bilibili!

Instead, they’re asking questions like:

• “Is this place worth it?”

• “What does it actually look like?”

• “Would I enjoy this?”

And they’re answering those questions on social media platforms such as:

• Instagram

• Facebook

• TikTok

• YouTube

Short videos, behind-the-scenes clips, real visitor experiences, clear English captions – these platforms shape travel decisions long before a booking is made.

If your business has little or no presence on Western social media, UK tourists may never even discover you – no matter how good your offering is.

The key is not just being on these platforms, but communicating in natural, culturally appropriate English that feels welcoming, clear and trustworthy to a UK audience.

Turning visibility into bookings – language + marketing working together

This is where language and marketing intersect.

I’m not only a UK-based, certified Chinese-to-English translator with Chartered Linguist status, but also an experienced marketer who understands how UK audiences discover, evaluate and engage with travel brands online.

I’ve personally built a YouTube channel with over 1.5K subscribers, creating English-language content that attracts, educates and builds trust with a Western audience – and I bring that same strategic thinking to client projects.

If you’re looking to:

• localise English content for Instagram, TikTok, Facebook or YouTube

• adapt Chinese messaging for UK social media audiences

• or build a coherent English-language online presence that supports inbound tourism

👉 Get in touch. I can help you combine accurate localisation with real-world marketing insight to help you attract more UK tourists as the floodgates open!