China Has Reopened to Tourists. The Hard Part Is Getting There.

Many executives are eager to visit with employees and suppliers for the first time since 2020.

A February survey of 43 American companies showed that 50 percent of chief executives planned to visit China in the first half of this year, according to the U.S.-China Business Council, a trade group in China.

“The Chinese government has sent some signals for support about private companies, but at the same time, it’s a tense geopolitical environment,” said Jack Kamensky, a senior director at the business council.

Some business owners were more hopeful about China’s reopening.

For over a decade, Keith Collea, a film technology entrepreneur, worked in China’s budding film industry on movies like the 2014 action film “The Monkey King.” His latest project, which involved providing visual effect equipment to Chinese amusement parks, was halted when he was shut out of the country during a trip to Los Angeles in 2020.

Now, Mr. Collea is planning a long-awaited return. He was confident his projects would resume once he reunited with his former investors and partners.

“Doing business in China is not something you can do over the phone from the United States,” he said. “You have to sit with people, you have to go to dinners, you have to drink a lot. You have to invest and grow relationships there.”

Claire Fu contributed research.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/10/business/china-tourism.html