China’s immigration authority reported today that in the first six months of this year, the country saw a total of 14.64 million foreign inbound trips, marking a significant increase of 152.7 percent compared to the previous year. The officials attribute the rise in visitor numbers to various measures implemented since January.
The initiatives, designed to enhance the accessibility of China for foreign visitors seeking business opportunities, educational pursuits, and tourism experiences, encompass broader visa-free regulations, eased visa application criteria, streamlined processes, as well as waived border inspections for specific transit travelers, and improved mobile payment options for international visitors in China.
At today’s press briefing, the National Immigration Administration (NIA) announced that the amount of visa-exempt visits by foreign nationals surpassed 8.54 million between January and June, making up 52 percent of all inbound travels and marking a 190.1 percent increase compared to the previous year.
According to the NIA, there is an anticipation of a continued increase in the number of foreign visitors to China in the latter part of this year. As per a recent report from the China Tourism Academy (CTA), it is projected that the inbound tourism market for foreigners will rebound to approximately 80 percent of the levels seen in 2019. This is expected to be driven by trips made by travelers from the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao, as well from Taiwan, which are anticipated to return to the levels seen before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The survey conducted by the CTA revealed that more than 60 percent of inbound travelers interviewed visited China mainly to experience its culture. Additionally, food and shopping were also popular attractions among the respondents.
During the first half of the year, immigration authorities throughout China handled 287 million inbound and outbound trips, indicating a 70.9 percent increase compared to the previous year. Of these, approximately 137 million were undertaken by mainland residents, 121 million by residents from China’s special administrative regions (SARs) Hong Kong and Macao, residents Taiwan, and 29.22 million by foreigners.
The NIA’s data revealed that in the first half of 2024, approximately 12.34 million regular passports were issued, marking a 23.2 percent rise compared to the previous year. Moreover, the number of travel documents issued for mainland-Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan trips increased by 7.8 percent, reaching over 46.15 million. Additionally, there was a significant surge in port visas, which rose by 267.9 percent to 686,000, while 388,000 stay permits and residence permits were granted to foreigners residing in the mainland.
