China’s Visa-Free Policies Draw Record Tourism

China’s recent efforts to attract international tourists through favorable policies are showing significant results. 

Following the announcement of visa-free travel for Australians and New Zealanders, China’s National Immigration Administration has released impressive travel data from the May Day Golden Week and the just-concluded Dragon Boat Festival.

According to the National Immigration Administration, this year’s May Day holiday saw a total of 8.47 million international and domestic travelers crossing China’s borders. 

Notably, 2.92 million were from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, marking a 20.8% increase compared to the previous year, while foreign nationals accounted for 779,000 entries and exits, a substantial 98.7% rise from the same period last year. 

During the Dragon Boat Festival, 5.75 million people traveled in and out of China, including 2.78 million from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan – a 66.1% increase; foreign travelers during this period numbered 507,000, up 57% year-on-year.

Among all of China’s ports of entry, Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport was the busiest. 

On June 16, Pudong International Airport set a new four-year record, processing 103,213 international passengers in a single day, which included 31,500 foreigners and 9,400 travelers from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan.

So far this year, immigration stations at Shanghai airports have processed over 3 million foreign travelers, tripling the numbers from the same period last year. 

These travelers mainly visited China for tourism, business, and family reunions, with the highest numbers coming from the United States, Japan, and South Korea.

The visa-free policy has significantly boosted the number of foreign travelers entering China through Shanghai’s airports, with 446,000 visa-free entries this year – 10 times the number from the previous year. 

This surge represents a significant highlight in this year’s border traffic: the visa-free policy is a game changer for tourism and business alike.

Does the visa-free policy increase your interest in traveling to China? Share your thoughts with us! 

For more news and updates on China travel, follow our WeChat official account, ThatsGBA. Happy travels!

[Cover image by Billy Jiang/That’s]