China Travel Sees Surge in Foreign Visitor Popularity

China has experienced a remarkable surge in international visitors following the implementation of a 240-hour visa-free transit policy on December 17, 2024. In the three months leading up to March 17, 2025, foreign tourist arrivals reached 8.885 million, representing a significant 34.9 percent increase compared to the same timeframe in 2024.

This increase in tourism can be attributed to China's efforts to enhance its unilateral visa-free policy, which has now expanded to include 38 countries. This revision allows travelers from these nations to stay in China for up to 30 days without a visa.

Notably, Beijing Daxing International Airport has emerged as a critical gateway for foreign visitors. According to the Beijing Border Inspection Terminal, the airport has registered over 1 million travelers entering and exiting China this year, with approximately 211,000 foreign arrivals, reflecting a striking 67.9 percent increase compared to the year prior.

In addition to international visitors arriving at major airports, tourist hotspots are also seeing growth. In southwest China's Yunnan Province, the Mohan border area has become a focal point for tourism along the China-Laos border. The first ASEAN visa-free tour group recently entered China through the Kunming-Mohan Land Port.

To facilitate exchanges among students, efforts have been made to enhance communication at the Mohan border checkpoint with local educational institutions. A "special channel for international students" has been established to streamline the process.

The statistics for 2024 indicated that more than 2.848 million individuals from 117 countries and regions crossed through the Mohan border checkpoint, signifying its importance as a travel hub.

Meanwhile, at Harbin Taiping International Airport, which serves as northeast China's sole port under the 240-hour visa-free transit policy, advancements in customs clearance have significantly improved the travel experience. New expedited channels are now available, allowing passengers to pass through customs in mere seconds.

Zhang Wei, deputy chief of the Harbin Border Inspection Station, noted that the number of manual verification lanes in the immigration hall increased from eight to twelve. Additionally, eight new express lanes were added to accommodate the growing influx of tourists.