Highlights
By Fang Jingyi
Hangzhou has experienced a “China Travel” boom, with 45,300 foreign travelers entering visa-free in the first half of the year, showing a significant increase compared to the same period last year.
Currently, Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport operates over 30 regional passenger routes, connecting to 21 countries across four continents, covering Asia, Europe, Africa, and Oceania.
Since the beginning of this year, Hangzhou port has gradually resumed and increased the frequency of international flights to and from Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, while adding new routes to Melbourne, Australia; Vientiane, Laos; and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
More than 45,300 foreign travelers entered Hangzhou port visa-free from January to June, showing a significant year-on-year increase. The majority of visa-free travelers came from countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Italy. In July, Hangzhou port saw the entrance of nearly 30 passengers from the newly added visa-free countries of New Zealand, Australia, and Poland.
In the first half of 2024, 14.635 million foreigners visited the Chinese mainland through various ports, marking a 152.7% year-on-year increase. Among them, 8.542 million entered under the visa-free policy, accounting for 52% of the total, with a year-on-year increase of 190.1%.
As of now, China has signed visa waiver agreements with 158 countries for different types of passports, including comprehensive mutual visa waiver agreements with 24 countries such as the UAE, Singapore, Thailand, Kazakhstan, and Qatar. The popularity of inbound tourism is rapidly rising, making China a hot destination for international travelers.