China’s ‘two sessions’ 2024: security sector advised to curb overuse of facial recognition in tourism
- Country’s top political advisory body told that excessive use of security systems is hurting hospitality sector
- There are no laws, regulations or formal rules mandating the use of such cybersecurity in hotels, expert says

Most of China’s tourist accommodation providers now use facial recognition systems, according to China Tourism Academy president Dai Bin, who is also a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).
In addition to providing identification documents at check-in, authorities now require tourists in China to submit to facial recognition scans during registration.
“There are no specific laws, administrative regulations, or formal written departmental rules that mandate the installation of facial recognition devices in hotels,” Dai said in a proposal to the CPPCC on Monday.
He said public security departments nationwide should scrap their requirements for tourists to undergo facial recognition check-ins at hotels and stop using the software and hardware devices.