MACAU DAILY TIMES 澳門每日時報Increase in visitors for the May holidays

On the agenda

aS As the May holidays approach, China is expecting a wave of international visitors. According to data from Ctrip, one of the country’s largest online travel agencies, inbound tourist bookings have increased by as much as 130% compared to the same period last year.

This uptick coincides with broader trends in travel to mainland China, as shown in recent figures from the National Immigration Administration. In the first quarter of 2024, a total of 59.115 million residents from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, along with 13.074 million foreigners, entered mainland China. Of these, 466,000 were foreigners who received visas – a significant increase of 118.8% from the previous year.

Moreover, the number of visa-free entries has increased dramatically: more than 1.988 million foreigners have entered the country without a visa, representing an increase of 266.1%. This spike is largely due to China’s strategic policies aimed at improving tourism and business exchanges. This includes the restoration of 15-day visa-free entry for citizens of Singapore and Brunei holding ordinary passports for activities such as business, tourism, family visits and transit, from 26 July 2023.

Subsequent extensions include unilateral visa-free access for citizens of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Malaysia, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium and Luxembourg, implemented between December 1, 2023 and March 14, 2024. The visa waiver agreement with Thailand, which 1 March 2024, saw a further increase in visitor numbers, with 989,000 travelers from the 15 eligible countries entering China visa-free, representing more than 60% of total arrivals from these countries.

Last February, China expanded its visa-free access to Hainan, allowing travelers from certain countries to enter the region for up to 30 days for a variety of purposes, including tourism, business and medical treatment. Within two months of this policy, 49,000 foreigners visited Hainan visa-free.

Despite the increase in travel, China maintains strict measures against illegal immigration. At the beginning of this year, 23,000 cases of illegal entry, residence and employment were discovered, resulting in 4,551 deportations. These figures underline China’s cautious approach to opening its borders while protecting its immigration laws.

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