Foreign tourists flock to China for culture, scenic allure amid holiday visa boost

China’s upgraded visa policies are fueling a surge in foreign tourism during the eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, with international visitors flocking to cities such as Chongqing in southwest China to experience the country’s cultural richness and scenic allure.

Chongqing has emerged as a popular stop for overseas travelers in recent years due to its unique blend of culture, wallet-friendly consumption prices, and scenic charm.

Thanks to China's 240-hour visa-free transit policy, overseas travelers are seizing the opportunity to explore the city.

"We're actually really excited here because Chongqing isn't well heard of yet in the Philippines,” said Mikhaela Angelika, a tourist from the Philippines.

"This is my first time in Chongqing, and I’m very impressed. I'll definitely invite more people to visit. Chongqing is a modern city full of potential, with stunning scenery and rich culture," said Soldatova Marina, a Russian tourist.

Other than Chongqing, cities all around China are attracting foreign tourists with distinctive tourist attractions and beautiful natural scenery.

"In Singapore, you don't see this kind of place. So you come here and it's really very different, really very nice to see: the fall, the mountain, the mysticism. This is the one that [gives me] a very good feeling," said a Singaporean tourist visiting Shennongjia National Park in central China's Hubei Province, known as one of China's major biodiversity centers.

Foreign tourists also praised China’s advanced transportation network, including high-speed rail, air travel, and water routes for improving accessibility.

"It's very easy to get here. We had very comfortable (experience on) the train. I took many, many trains around from Shanghai to Beijing. The train is very, very nice," Naranjo Velduque Domingo, a Spanish tourist, said at the Mohan Railway port in southwest China's Yunnan Province, after crossing the China-Laos border through railway.

This year, China's National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday runs from Oct 1 to 8.

Foreign tourists flock to China for culture, scenic allure amid holiday visa boost

The freight train lines connecting east China's Yiwu City and the Spanish capital Madrid had reported exporting over 100,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of goods as of Friday, representing a 6.8 percent year-on-year growth.

High value-added goods such as photovoltaic modules, smart home appliances and air conditioners have become top shipped items as extreme heatwaves grip a large number of European countries this year.

The Yixin'ou, also known as the Yiwu-Xinjiang-Europe freight trains, depart from Yiwu and exit the country via the Alashankou Port in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

The trains pass through Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany and France, before arriving in Madrid.

With maiden journey started on Nov 18, 2014, the train services are now delivered through 27 regular routes, connecting more than 160 cities across over 50 countries and regions in Asia and Europe.

China reports noticeable export growth through freight train lines connecting Yiwu, Madrid