从疗愈旅行到文明互鉴——中国康养旅游的世界回响

近期，“中医理疗、牙科、眼科”成为国际游客来华旅行新“三件套”，折射出中国康养旅游的蓬勃兴起与中医文化的全球影响力。

不远万里赴华的法国夫妇，在针灸、艾灸与拔罐的治疗中缓解了多年顽疾；加拿大运动员惊叹于中国牙科的高效与平价；俄罗斯游客在深圳用一杯咖啡的时间完成配镜。这些真实案例，让中国高性价比、高效率的医疗康养服务成为入境新引力。2025年中国入境游客达15亿人次，同比增长17%，越来越多外国游客从打卡景点转向体验健康疗愈，将中医问诊、牙科诊疗、验光配镜纳入行程。

与此同时，国际患者的涌入催生了多语种陪诊等新职业，为小语种专业学生创造了就业机会，也推动中国医旅融合走向成熟，让中华文明在疗愈与交流中绽放出跨越山海的吸引力。

《北京周报》2026年第13期刊发的英文文章带您领略中国康养旅游。

Students from the Canadian College of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine participate in a cultural exchange activity at Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, on March 10 (CNSPHOTO)

The Travel Prescription

A couple from France stepped into the practice of Wang Shuxin, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) doctor in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, south China, on February 20. They had traveled thousands of miles, hoping that TCM might offer reprieve where modern medicine had fallen short.

For more than three years, the woman had endured persistent numbness in her hands and feet and swelling in her lower legs. She had sought help far and wide, yet nothing brought relief. Her husband carried his own burden—chronic weakness in both legs and intermittent cramping that turned every step into a struggle. It was their daughter-in-law, who is Chinese, who first suggested they give TCM a try and guided them to seek treatment in China.

After a complete medical assessment, Wang tailored a personalized treatment plan that combined several therapies—acupuncture, moxibustion and cupping. The results were immediate. The swelling in the woman's legs began to subside noticeably. The numbness in her hands and feet started to fade, and the bone-deep chill that had clung to her for years finally began to loosen its grip. She felt a wave of warmth rush straight to her fingertips. Her husband, meanwhile, rose from the treatment table and took a few tentative steps. For the first time in years, he felt strength in his legs and could walk steadily again.

Healing holidays

The French couple's journey is part of a surging new wave of inbound tourism in China—one that ventures beyond the iconic landmarks of Beijing's Forbidden City or Shanghai's Bund to focus on wellness experiences.

On platforms like TikTok and Chinese lifestyle app Xiaohongshu (RedNote), the hashtag "China travel new three-piece set"—TCM therapies, dentistry and ophthalmology—has become a hot topic.

Not long ago, the must-have experiences for foreign visitors to China were mobile payments, high-speed rail and hotel service robots.

As China expands its visa-free policies and enhances travel convenience, the country continues to attract a growing number of international visitors. Data from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism show that 2025 recorded 1.5 billion inbound tourist visits, a 17-percent rise year on year. Increasingly, these travelers are seeking authentic, personalized experiences beyond the typical sightseeing tours.

For many international visitors, China's affordable and high-quality medical and wellness services have become a major draw. Last May, Canadian ice hockey player Emily Rickwood took to TikTok to show her teeth cleaning experience in Shenzhen, Guangdong. The process was astonishingly simple: a dentist visit booked just one day in advance, zero wait time upon arrival and a procedure completed in just 30 minutes. Compared with North America's labyrinthine booking systems and drawn-out dental visits, it felt like clockwork. The care was professional and gentle.

Then came the price—just $15. Had she needed a filling, it would have set her back only $20, a fraction of what she'd pay at home.

Eye care is another steal. Optical shops commonly offer free eye exams, and a full set of frames and lenses typically runs between $30 and $70.

Usik Anastasia from Russia shared her experience of getting glasses in Shenzhen with local newspaper Yangcheng Evening News. The optical market she visited is housed inside a sprawling building where dozens of shops cluster together, their display windows glittering with frames—so many that choosing one felt almost dizzying. She wanted to get a pair of prescription sunglasses. After getting her eyes tested and picking out a frame, she wandered next door to a café, ordered a coffee and scrolled through her socials. Thirty minutes later, her custom-made sunglasses were ready.

In Beijing, the Panjiayuan International Glasses Building has also become a go-to spot for tourists looking to update their eyewear—often in bulk. Andrea Laurent, an American tourist, walked out with five pairs. The haul included prescription sunglasses and several pairs of everyday glasses in different frame styles. The average cost per pair was 200 yuan ($29). "Now I can match my glasses to my outfit," she told Beijing Review.

A Serbian tourist explores Chongqing Municipality on October 3, 2025 (XINHUA)

Wellness tourism

Currently, foreign nationals seeking cross-border medical care in China fall into two broad categories. The first arrives with clear medical objectives—either pursuing specific treatments or scheduling regular health check-ups. The second group makes dental clinics, eye exams and TCM consultations part of their China travel itinerary.

This "wellness tourism" trend is supported by China's ongoing efforts to integrate medical and tourism resources. Many cities have launched specialized packages: Yangshuo in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, for example, combines TCM physical therapy with bamboo rafting; Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province, offers dental services paired with Sichuan hotpot dining tours; and Qingdao, a coastal city in Shandong Province, links seafood tastings with acupuncture treatments.

Even in modern hospitals, the efficiency stands out: Examinations and treatments are swift, and the costs remain pointedly lower than in many Western countries.

Mongolian singer Unudelger shared his own medical journey on Facebook. Around September last year, he developed persistent hypokalemia (low blood potassium levels) of unknown origin that went undiagnosed for a troubling stretch. Left untreated, severe cases can lead to cardiac arrhythmias, kidney damage and even life-threatening complications. As his condition worsened, a friend's recommendation led him from Mongolia to Tianjin in north China for treatment.

There, he underwent a series of comprehensive tests—including screenings for genetic disorders and imaging exams. Given the possibility of complications, his physicians adopted a phased treatment approach. By late October 2025, Unudelger had recovered enough to be discharged.

The experience reshaped his perspective entirely. "Before going there, I was worried—not just about my health, but because I'd never been treated abroad before. Everything was unknown," he wrote on Facebook. "This month of treatment changed my mind."

As the influx of international patients grows, so too do the hospital units designed to serve them.

Peking University Shenzhen Hospital's International Medical Department, for instance, has assembled a multilingual volunteer team of 86 people, covering 15 languages, to provide end-to-end assistance for foreign patients navigating the system.

A professional patient escort—who primarily serves domestic clients—told newspaper Chengdu Economic Daily that "inbound medical tourism is really taking off, and our team is expanding our services to include this." According to the practitioner, the team has already recruited several English majors. In terms of pricing, international patient escort services generally cost between 150 ($22) to 200 yuan ($29) per hour. "As the number of international patients grows, it's also creating new job opportunities for students of less-commonly taught languages," the professional added.

英文采写：原 媛

编 辑：万明子

责任编辑：季 风

设计排版：卢一凡

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