Multilingual Tour Guides in High Demand as China's Tourism Industry Booms

China's Growing Tourism Industry Fuels Demand for Multilingual Tour Guides

China's tourism industry is booming, with a surge in both inbound and outbound travel. This growth has led to an increased demand for tour guides, especially those who are fluent in less common languages.

In 2024, China welcomed 94.63 million inbound tourists in the first three quarters of the year, a 78.8% increase from the previous year. This influx of visitors has created a need for guides who can cater to diverse language needs.

Hu Guangyuan, a Russian-speaking tour guide in Beijing, has seen a significant increase in demand for his services. He attributes this to the growing number of Russian tourists visiting China. Hu often guides visitors to the Great Wall of China, where he educates them about the history and construction of this monumental structure.

The demand for multilingual tour guides extends beyond Russian. Chinese tour guides who are proficient in languages like Japanese, Korean, and Thai are also in high demand. This is due to the popularity of "China Travel" on social media platforms, which has sparked interest in Chinese culture and heritage among foreign tourists.

The shortage of tour guides fluent in less common languages is expected to persist for the next few years. However, many Chinese tour guides are taking language training programs to meet this growing demand. This includes professionals from industries like e-commerce and tourism, who are seeking career advancement opportunities.

For Hu, being a tour guide is more than just a job. He sees it as a way to bridge cultural divides and educate visitors about Chinese culture. He often encounters tourists who have misconceptions about China, such as the belief that all Chinese food is spicy. Through his tours, Hu helps to dispel these stereotypes and provide visitors with a more accurate understanding of the country.