Foreign visitors take selfies at the Palace Museum in Beijing in May. (PHOTO: VCG)

As global tourists flock to China, a great many of them are posting videos on their firsthand experience of Chinese culture, transportation and technological advancements on video-sharing social media platforms YouTube and TikTok, and the number of these videos is mounting.

The recent surge of tourists is partly due to China's favorable policies and measures, especially the 7/144-hour visa-free transit policy. Launched in 2013, the policy has been extended to 54 countries, whose citizens can enjoy a six-day trip to select areas of China without having to apply for a visa beforehand.

In their videos, the overwhelmed visitors speak highly of China's safety, modernity and the beauty of both its urban landscapes and natural scenery.

A South Africa vlogger who uses only her first name Lizzy has been living in China for several years.

The social media influencer says her YouTube account was flooded by videos from first-time visitors to China. The most striking aspect of their videos was how different the reality was from their expectations, Lizzy says.

One of her friends, who had previously imagined the Chinese living in huts, was amazed by the impressive infrastructure and skyscrapers upon his arrival in China.

There are many stories like this.

The Hutchinsons, who describe themselves as a full-time traveling British family of five, took an "epic" three-month trip to China. Their vlog on YouTube about their trip to Guangzhou in south China's Guangdong province in March describes them wandering the streets of Guangzhou in the early morning and marveling at the peaceful and pristine environment: "It feels really safe."

Chinese culture and high-quality life experiences are the core attractions of the destinations. YouTube vloggers Shae and David documented their first journey in China in June. The Canadian couple entered China courtesy the 144-hour transit visa, heading to Beijing. They were captivated by the historical spots including the Great Wall and Jingshan Park, a royal garden.

Their videos gained popularity online because of authenticity, showing viewers genuine experiences without any flattery or exaggeration. The videos resonated with many Internet users who posted comments like "Chinese are really friendly," "A safe country," and "China's advancement and civilization are impressive."

In August 2023, YouTube vlogger Joel Friend and his partner Emilia came to China on a transit visa. During their four-day visit to Shanghai, they were stunned by the spectacular light show at the Bund. They described their first day in Shanghai as "such a cool and unique experience" and expressed a strong desire to return.

In June, they returned to explore the country for four weeks. This time, they were overwhelmed by the convenience of WeChat Pay and the innovative traffic light countdown feature on a map app. "Never seen anything like that. It's pretty crazy," they said.

A report released in June by the China Tourism Academy indicates a significant increase in the number of overseas tourists searching for flights and accommodations in China, signaling a growing interest in traveling to the country.

"Demand levels for us right now are more than quadruple what they were last year, which is taking us back to the level where we were in 2019," Peter Crane, global product director at Wendy Wu Tours, told The Telegraph.

Vlogger Lizzy says many foreigners have a preconceived bias about China due to a lack of firsthand knowledge. What they know is often based on media reports. She hopes that more people can experience China by themselves. As the saying goes, "Seeing is believing."