China sees thriving inbound tourism during National Day holiday

China's inbound tourism has seen a continuously robust growth during the National Day holiday, buoyed by relaxed visa policies, including the 144-hour transit policy.

The week-long holiday started on Tuesday, setting the stage for a bustling inflow of international travelers.

During the period, the Silk Street, a famous shopping destination in the Chinese capital city of Beijing, is expected to see a more-than-50-percent increase in the number of international travelers year on year, especially those from European countries and the United States.

Its sales are expected to grow by 100 percent, with sales of creative gifts and silk clothing jumping remarkably.

Transportation hubs in Shenzhen, a city in south China's Guangdong Province, have witnessed a flurry of activity, as holidaymakers make their way through railway stations and airports.

"This year, the number of international travelers entering China through Shenzhen's airport for business negotiations, cultural exchanges, sightseeing, and relative visits has exceeded 360,000, a year-on-year increase of about 143 percent. Among them, the number of international travelers entering China under visa-free policies has surpassed 130,000, a growth of more than five times from the previous year," said Liang Rui, deputy head of the Border Inspection Division of the Shenzhen Airport Border Inspection Station.

China extended the visa-free policies to more countries on Monday, covering Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, and Slovenia.

Following the announcement, searches for China-related keywords by tourists from these four countries on the Ctrip overseas platform soared 60 percent month on month.

Since the beginning of this year, travel bookings by tourists from these four countries skyrocketed by 120 percent, 150 percent, 166 percent, and 182 percent, respectively, from the previous year.

Data from booking platforms showed that inbound travel bookings have outpaced that of outbound tourism during this holiday, surging by 60 percent year on year.

"During the National Day holiday this year, the growth of the number of international tourists traveling to China has exceeded 60 percent, far surpassing the growth of outbound tourists. Visitors from the United States, Russia, and Malaysia saw growth rates exceeding three times. The international tourists prefer immersive travel experiences, so, in general, they will stay more than seven days here," said Chen Linan, director of public affairs at Ctrip.

China sees thriving inbound tourism during National Day holiday

China sees thriving inbound tourism during National Day holiday

China sees thriving inbound tourism during National Day holiday

China sees thriving inbound tourism during National Day holiday

The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.

In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.

"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.

Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.

The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."

Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.

President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.

Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.

Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.

The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.

Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests