Chinese authorities are utilising scenic views and convenience to address a national decline in marriage rates. A new policy allowing couples to register anywhere in the country has sparked a trend known as “marriage tourism,” resulting in a significant increase in weddings.
Official data show that marriages rose 22.5% year-over-year to 1.61 million in the third quarter of 2025. This offers a rare boost after a record decline last year.
The initiative began when Beijing lifted a long-standing rule that required couples to register in their hometowns. Since May, local governments have competed to attract couples by creating unique marriage registration spots.
China allows couples to marry anywhere in the country to boost marriage numbers amid a demographic crisis, with local governments catering to marriage tourists https://t.co/YKWhVGfi3n pic.twitter.com/5PWMXId4rK
— Reuters (@Reuters) November 7, 2025Offices have opened in locations ranging from snow-capped mountains and ancient temples to subway stations and nightclubs. The goal is to make the process appealing, effortless, and visually striking for social media.
For example, couples can now marry at the Confucius Temple in Nanjing or 3,000 meters high on Xiling Snow Mountain in Chengdu.
In May, China started allowing couples to get married anywhere in the country — instead of their place of residence — in an effort to boost marriage rates and ease the country’s demographic crisis. https://t.co/Cnodhac2x2
— The Japan Times (@japantimes) November 7, 2025Despite the positive data, demographers caution that the surge may be short-lived. They cite deeper societal forces, including economic insecurity and a shrinking population of young women, as persistent challenges.
Yi Fuxian, a demographer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, expects the number of women of prime marrying age to halve by 2050. He believes the policy change is helpful but not a fundamental solution.
This view is shared by some newlyweds, who note that while a beautiful wedding is a nice perk, lasting improvements to marriage rates will only come when people feel financially secure enough to build a future together.
