China’s coastal cities are experiencing a resurgence in international cruise tourism, driven by eased visa regulations and enhanced accessibility for foreign visitors.
Leading this revival is Shanghai’s Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal, which reported 78 cruise arrivals and over 480,000 passenger visits in the first quarter of 2025, including nearly 30,000 international travelers.
These figures mark a significant increase compared to the same timeframe in 2024, when the terminal managed only 28 cruise arrivals and 192,000 passenger visits, with a mere 2,900 international travelers.
This turnaround follows the implementation of a 15-day visa exemption for international cruise tour groups in May 2024, alongside simplified transit and departure procedures for qualifying foreign cruise passengers.
These modifications have enhanced the accessibility of shore excursions for international visitors, revitalizing China’s inbound tourism sector in the aftermath of the pandemic.
In comparison to pre-pandemic figures, the growth observed at Wusongkou is significant. The data for 2025 indicates a 44.44 percent increase in cruise arrivals and a 7.7 percent rise in overall passenger numbers compared to the same timeframe in 2019. The volume of foreign visitors has rebounded to approximately 75 percent of 2019 levels, demonstrating a consistent increase in global interest.
Additionally, the terminal achieved a new record on March 16, when it received 4,800 international arrivals in one day, marking the highest daily count of foreign cruise passengers since its establishment in 2011.
Further contributing to this positive trend, two prominent international cruise lines—AIDAstella and Mein Schiff 6—made their first calls to Shanghai this year.
Mein Schiff 6 is set to arrive at the terminal on April 19 to 20, bringing over 2,000 passengers, approximately 90 percent of whom are from Germany and Nordic nations.
This surge in cruise activity highlights China’s ongoing initiative to establish itself as a global tourism center with more open and traveler-friendly regulations.
Following the introduction of a significant trial policy in December 2023 that provided unilateral visa exemptions, China has broadened its visa-free access to visitors from 38 countries, allowing them to stay for up to 30 days.
In late 2024, China further relaxed transit regulations, enabling eligible travelers from 54 countries to enter through additional ports without a visa and remain for up to 10 days while traveling to a third destination.
China has simplified the process for foreigners to travel and reside within its borders, leading to “China Travel” becoming a popular search term on major online platforms.
International visitors can now easily make purchases using their smartphones by connecting their foreign credit cards to widely-used Chinese mobile payment applications such as Alipay and WeChat Pay. They also have access to a robust support system that includes nearly 70,000 bank branches, 320,000 ATMs, and numerous currency exchange locations throughout the country.
These initiatives are proving effective. Since the implementation of the 240-hour visa-free transit policy in December 2024, Chinese ports have received over 9 million foreign travelers, marking a 40.2 percent increase compared to the previous year, as reported by the National Immigration Administration on Tuesday. Among these, 6.57 million travelers entered without a visa, representing more than 71 percent of the total.
At the Wusongkou terminal in Shanghai, foreign cruise ship passengers can take advantage of a comprehensive service station that provides currency exchange, SIM card purchases, and multilingual support from volunteers.
In addition to Shanghai, various other coastal cities in China are experiencing a rise in cruise tourism.
Xiamen, located in Fujian Province in eastern China, welcomed five international cruise ships during the first quarter of 2025, which brought nearly 3,000 foreign visitors. Notably, over 30 percent of these travelers departed China through other cities, indicating an increase in inter-regional connectivity among cruise ports.
To enhance operational efficiency, the Gaoqi Border Inspection Station in Xiamen has implemented several innovative measures. These include “scattered clearance,” which permits cruise tour groups to process immigration in smaller, distinct batches, and a QR code-based system for streamlined entry for passengers returning to their homeport.
As a result of these initiatives, the disembarkation and immigration processes can now be completed in as little as 10 minutes. Additionally, crew members who remain on the ship are no longer required to present entry and exit documentation.
This year, Xiamen anticipates an additional three international cruise arrivals, which will enhance the city’s cruise industry and reinforce its connections with nearby countries and regions.
In northern China, the Tianjin International Cruise Home Port is also experiencing expansion. As the largest cruise home port in the area, it managed 105 international cruise calls and facilitated 357,400 passenger movements in 2024. For the first half of 2025, it is estimated that there will be 90 cruise ship arrivals and departures.
