Tourism to China Surged During First Seven Months of 2024

It’s been a good year for China’s tourism industry.

During the first seven months of 2024 the number of foreign visitors to the country reached 17.25 million, which is a record 129.9 percent increase year over year, according to news published by The State Council for The People’s Republic of China.

Government officials attribute the record growth to a series of entry policies that have made it easier for tourists to visit and explore China.

Meanwhile, a total of 341 million cross-border travels were recorded, up 62.34 percent from the same period last year.

That growth in visitation has translated into a similarly impressive increase in consumption. Thanks to foreign visitors China’s consumption topped 100 billion yuan, or about $14 billion U.S. 

The per capita daily average consumption volume was nearly 3,500 yuan, according to  Liu Haitao, deputy head of China’s National Immigration Administration (NIA), which held a press conference recently to announce the new tourism figures.

Additional data released by NIA included:

• 846,000 port visas were issued to foreign nationals who had ‘urgent needs’ to enter China but did not have enough time to apply for a visa at Chinese embassies or consulates abroad.
• The number of visas issued increased 183 percent year over year.

Foreign nationals visiting China have various avenues to submit applications for visas. They can submit applications in advance to port visa authorities by themselves or through inviting parties, or apply on site upon arrival at ports in China, according to Liu.

As for the policy changes that have been enacted in China, Liu explained that the country’s immigration authorities have “stepped up efforts to make customs clearance more convenient” while also working to ensure that “cross-border supply chains” are more efficient. All of this has apparently decreased the time for customs inspections and created priority avenues for major cargo flights.

When it comes to tourists, China has expanded its visa-free policies, relaxed visa application requirements and simplified procedures. Border checks have also been exempted for some transit passengers. In addition, mobile payment services have been made easier for foreign visitors.

More recently, in July, the NIA rolled out another new policy that allows individuals from countries that have diplomatic relations with China to visit the southern island province of Hainan visa-free for 144 hours. The visitors however, must be with tour groups that are registered in Hong Kong and Macao.

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