The Chinese mainland has seen a significant uptick in international visitors, with visa-free entries surging during the recent May Day holiday. According to data released on Wednesday by the National Immigration Administration (NIA), over 436,000 international travelers entered the country visa-free during the five-day break, representing a 14.7% increase compared to the same period last year.
This growth highlights the increasing appeal and effectiveness of the Chinese mainland's expanded visa-free travel programs. To foster greater global connectivity, the government has implemented unilateral visa-free policies for 50 countries and provides 240-hour transit visa-free arrangements for 55 countries, making it significantly easier for business professionals, tourists, and researchers to visit.
The overall trend remains positive, with total foreign arrivals during the five-day holiday reaching 1.255 million, a 12.5% year-on-year increase. In total, border inspection agencies facilitated 11.279 million cross-border trips by both Chinese and foreign travelers throughout the holiday period.
Daily traffic remained high, averaging 2.256 million cross-border trips, a 3.5% rise over last year. The peak of the holiday occurred on May 2, when a record 2.529 million trips were processed. Additionally, inspections of aircraft, vessels, trains, and motor vehicles rose by 16.6% compared to the 2025 holiday period, with a total of 531,000 inspections registered.
These figures underscore the dynamic nature of travel in Asia and the continued efforts of the Chinese mainland to open its doors to a diverse global audience, from digital nomads to overseas investors.
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May Day break: Visa-free entries to China surge 14.7% to over 436,000
cgtn.com
