Spending by a country’s residents while travelling abroad in China
China: Spending by a country’s residents while travelling abroad was 250.65 billion current US$ in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Spending by a country’s residents while travelling abroad in China, 1997–2024
Source: UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in current US$.
Analysis
In 2024, spending by a country’s residents while travelling abroad in China stood at 250.65 billion current US$. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.
The figure is up 28.9% on the previous year and up 91.3% over five years.
Over the whole period, spending by a country’s residents while travelling abroad in China peaked at 250.65 billion current US$ in 2024 and was at its lowest, 9.22 billion current US$, in 1997.
China ranks 1st of 199 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Spending by a country’s residents while travelling abroad in China, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 9.22 billion current US$ | — |
| 1998 | 9.94 billion current US$ | +7.8% |
| 1999 | 11.62 billion current US$ | +16.9% |
| 2000 | 14.17 billion current US$ | +21.9% |
| 2001 | 14.99 billion current US$ | +5.8% |
| 2002 | 16.76 billion current US$ | +11.8% |
| 2003 | 16.72 billion current US$ | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 21.36 billion current US$ | +27.8% |
| 2020 | 131.05 billion current US$ | +513.5% |
| 2021 | 109.39 billion current US$ | -16.5% |
| 2022 | 114.81 billion current US$ | +5.0% |
| 2023 | 194.41 billion current US$ | +69.3% |
| 2024 | 250.65 billion current US$ | +28.9% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 250.65 billion current US$ is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.09 billion current US$, 230.3× the median. (56 countries reporting)
- China's 250.65 billion current US$ is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 569.60 million current US$, 440.0× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Spending by a country’s residents while travelling abroad in China changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +513.5% | 21.36 billion current US$ | 131.05 billion current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 10.26 billion current US$ | 9.22 billion current US$ | 11.62 billion current US$ | 3 |
| 2000s | 16.80 billion current US$ | 14.17 billion current US$ | 21.36 billion current US$ | 5 |
| 2020s | 160.06 billion current US$ | 109.39 billion current US$ | 250.65 billion current US$ | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
- 2 United States 250.32 billion current US$ compare
- 3 Germany 120.38 billion current US$ compare
- 4 United Kingdom 119.38 billion current US$ compare
More reference data data for China
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 49.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 75.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 18.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 165.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 206.2 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 350.74 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1,480 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 102.37 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is spending by a country’s residents while travelling abroad in China?
- Spending by a country’s residents while travelling abroad in China was 250.65 billion current US$ in 2024, according to UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest spending by a country’s residents while travelling abroad recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 250.65 billion current US$ in 2024.
- What is the lowest spending by a country’s residents while travelling abroad recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.22 billion current US$ in 1997.
- How does China rank for spending by a country’s residents while travelling abroad?
- China ranks 1st out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Spending by a country’s residents while travelling abroad. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 13 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Money spent by a country’s residents abroad on accommodation, food, transport, entertainment, shopping, and fares paid to foreign airlines. The data is expressed in current US dollars and is not adjusted for inflation or differences in living costs between countries.