Foreign travelers are increasingly flocking to China this summer, drawn by its diverse attractions and promising business opportunities.
According to the latest data from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), Chinese airlines transported over 7 million passengers on international routes in July this year, marking a 15 percent year-on-year increase and setting a historical milestone.
Shenzhen, a popular inbound destination in south China's Guangdong Province, has witnessed a significant increase of over 13 percent in the number of inbound and outbound passengers at the airport since the summer travel season began.
Andrew, who was visiting with his family from the UK, said as they arrived at the airport that they planned to visit sites all across southern China.
"This time, we're traveling as a family. He came to China for the first time, very interested in China to visit all the places. We'll be here for nine days, planning trips to Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Macao. We're looking forward to visiting the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and looking forward to tasting all that good Chinese food," he said.
Mark, an Irish national, expressed his delight with China's visa-free policy for his family, making their entry into China a hassle-free experience as they prepare to immigrate in the near future.
"We are family. We've just come from Bangkok, Thailand. And the visa-free policy for my wife and daughter is really, really good in China. We're very excited to live in China, in Shenzhen. Shenzhen is a very international city, and we can't wait until we start living here," he said.
The influx of foreign tourists traveling to China with family and friends has been on the rise this summer.
Data from the Shenzhen General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection shows that as of August 10, there is a remarkable increase of over 31 percent year-on-year in foreign visitors passing through Shenzhen airport since the summer season began, and approximately 60 percent of the total inbound foreign visitors are visa-exempt, showing a substantial over 139.7 percent year-on-year growth.
"One obvious change is that family tours to China have continued to heat up, especially among children under 14 and the elderly over 65, with the number of people increasing by more than 43.4 percent year on year. At the port, we opened special channels for people aged 60 and above to ensure rapid customs clearance," said Zheng Zhengxiang, deputy head of the duty team under the Shenzhen Airport border inspection station.
Meanwhile, as online booking platforms indicate, the number of foreign travelers using non-Chinese passports to book domestic flights saw a nearly 30 percent year-on-year increase in the first half of this year. The travel trajectories of foreign visitors in China are expanding rapidly from traditional coastal hubs to inland cities, covering over a hundred cities nationwide.
The city of Yiwu in east China's Zhejiang Province, also known as the "world supermarket" due its role in supplying a myriad of small goods to global buyers, has seen a surge in international visitors this summer, with data indicating a 2.6-fold increase in foreign visitors, placing it at the top among the top 10 destinations with the highest growth rates.
"It's my first time to come to Yiwu. (I came) To make business. It's because my friend is waiting for me here, and my friend told me about Yiwu. It's a nice place and a nice city," said Abdullah, a tourist from the United Arab Emirates.
Ji Yumin, the market business department manager of Zhejiang Yiwu Airport Management Co. Ltd., noted the substantial growth in foreign visitors at the airport.
"In previous years, there were not many foreign passengers at our airport during summer vacation. Take the route from Yiwu to Guangzhou as an example. In July last year, the number of foreign passengers traveling back and forth was less than 10,000. However, in July this year, there was an explosive growth, and the number of foreign passengers traveling back and forth on this route reached 25,700," said Ji.
China's diverse attractions, business opportunities drawing more foreign arrivals
