Sun Yeli, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and minister of culture and tourism, attends a press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO) on achievements in high-quality development of culture and tourism during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 29, 2025. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)

BEIJING, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese tourists made nearly 3.29 billion domestic trips in the first six months of 2025, setting a new record high, China's minister of culture and tourism Sun Yeli said Monday.

In the same period, the total amount of tourist-related expenditure reached 3.15 trillion yuan (443 billion U.S. dollars), said Sun at a press conference.

The minister added that, following the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, China's tourism industry has seen a robust rebound. ■

Sun Yeli, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and minister of culture and tourism, speaks at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO) on achievements in high-quality development of culture and tourism during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 29, 2025. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)

Sun Yeli, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and minister of culture and tourism, and Lu Yingchuan and Wang Jianhua, both vice ministers of culture and tourism, attend a press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO) on achievements in high-quality development of culture and tourism during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 29, 2025. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)

A journalist asks questions at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO) on achievements in high-quality development of culture and tourism during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 29, 2025. Sun Yeli, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and minister of culture and tourism, and Lu Yingchuan and Wang Jianhua, both vice ministers of culture and tourism, attended the press conference here on Monday. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)

Sun Yeli, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and minister of culture and tourism, and Lu Yingchuan and Wang Jianhua, both vice ministers of culture and tourism, attend a press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO) on achievements in high-quality development of culture and tourism during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 29, 2025. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)

Journalists work at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO) on achievements in high-quality development of culture and tourism during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 29, 2025. Sun Yeli, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and minister of culture and tourism, and Lu Yingchuan and Wang Jianhua, both vice ministers of culture and tourism, attended the press conference here on Monday. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)