Spring Festival rush: Visa-free policies ignite surge in foreign tourist arrivals

BEIJING -- As China continues to relax its visa-free policies, the country has seen a notable increase in foreign visitors joining the Spring Festival travel rush, eager to experience its rich cultural traditions.

The Spring Festival travel rush, or chunyun, began on Jan 14 and will continue through Feb 22. Preliminary statistics show that ticket bookings for inbound flights during this period surged 47 percent year-on-year.

As Japanese traveler Kyoko Shimada touched down at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, she was greeted by a vibrant display of red lanterns and paper cuttings featuring the Chinese character "fu," a symbol of good fortune.

Having long dreamed of visiting China, Shimada and her husband seized the chance to travel just ahead of Spring Festival, taking advantage of China's visa-free policy for Japanese citizens.

"Although the airport was busy before the holiday, the immigration process was smooth and faster than I expected. The signs were clear, and some were even in Japanese," Shimada said. During their three-day stay in Shanghai, the couple plans to enjoy the traditional lantern shows in the ancient Yuyuan Garden and savor the city's local cuisine.

In 2024, China further relaxed its visa policies to enhance openness and promote people-to-people exchanges, allowing more foreign travelers and business people to visit the country visa-free.

A key development was the introduction of expanded unilateral visa-free entry policies in November 2024, allowing ordinary passport holders from 38 countries to stay in China for up to 30 days without needing a visa.

The following month, China announced a relaxation in its visa-free transit policy, increasing the permitted stay for eligible foreign travelers to 240 hours, up from the previous limits of 72 or 144 hours.

According to Trip.com Group, China's online travel service giant, inbound travel orders from foreign tourists surged by 203 percent year-on-year during the Spring Festival, with the majority of visitors coming from the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Japan.

Recently, Thai tourist Ruchanewan Binsaree traveled to the ancient city of Xi'an, the capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province, with a friend. "I've visited cities like Shanghai and Hangzhou before, but we came here specifically to see the famous Terracotta Warriors," Binsaree said.

During their trip, they explored the city's historic architecture, strolled along a pedestrian street adorned with festive lanterns, and enjoyed watching locals dressed in red hanfu, a traditional style of Chinese clothing.

Since the first day of the Spring Festival travel rush, Xi'an's port has welcomed more than 3,100 inbound foreign visitors, marking a 187 percent increase compared to the same period last year. Among them, over 1,800 availed of the visa-free policies, while more than 360 took advantage of the 240-hour visa-free transit option.

Beyond air travel, the high-speed railway has become a popular option for foreign tourists during the Spring Festival rush, thanks to its convenience and efficiency.

"We originally planned to visit northern cities for Spring Festival, but the high-speed railway made it possible to explore more places in a shorter time," said a tourist from the Netherlands, as she waited at Guangzhou South Railway Station in South China's Guangdong province. "We are eager to experience the unique traditions of different cities during the Chinese New Year, making this Spring Festival even more memorable."

Praising the clean, well-maintained environment of China's railway stations, she said, "The process of entering the station was particularly smooth. Simply swiping my passport verified my identity and ticket information."

"China's ongoing efforts to ease visa-free policies have attracted a growing number of foreign tourists, providing them with the opportunity to experience the country's rich cuisine, vibrant culture and beautiful landscapes," said Zhu Mao, deputy director of the culture and tourism development commission of Southwest China's Chongqing municipality.

This trend serves as a valuable platform for fostering people-to-people exchanges and deepening global understanding of China, he added.