Visa-free policies boost China's inbound tourism over National Day holiday

China recorded 15.46 million cross-border passenger trips during the week-long National Day holiday, with foreign nationals making 682,000 inbound trips to China, up 5.4% year on year, according to data released by the National Immigration Administration. Among them, 505,000 entered under visa-free policies, marking a 9.2% increase from a year earlier.

Overall cross-border passenger traffic averaged 2.209 million trips per day during the holiday, 6.7% higher than the same period last year.

The figures highlight the continued recovery of inbound tourism, with visa-free policies helping make travel to China more convenient for international visitors. Major cities, including Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu, also saw busy cross-border passenger flows during the holiday.

Cross-border travel remained active across China, with inbound tourism, cultural experiences and consumer activity continuing to gain momentum. Improved transport and border services are providing smoother and more efficient experiences for tourists and business travelers, further supporting the recovery of inbound tourism and consumer spending.