政府新闻
外国旅客数量今年增长百分之129 2024-08-20
Foreign visitors are seen at Shanghai Pudong International Airport.
The National Immigration Administration (NIA) has just released some pretty eye-popping stats. In the first seven months of this year, the number of foreign visitors to China absolutely skyrocketed – up a whopping 129.9 percent year on year – bringing a cool 17.25 million international travelers through the country's doors. The massive jump is largely thanks to a slew of new measures designed to make getting into China way easier for foreigners.
But it's not just about the numbers – these visitors are big spenders too. Consumption is potentially hitting 100 billion yuan (roughly US$14 billion), with each visitor dropping an average of nearly 3,500 yuan per day (that's roughly US$500 a day! But this likely factors in high fixed costs like hotel accommodations).
Port visas (visas issued directly at a port of entry, such as an airport) are also seeing a major boom, with 846,000 handed out to foreigners who needed to get into China on short notice, a staggering 183 percent increase compared to last year. The NIA has streamlined the process so you can apply in advance, have someone submit on your behalf, or even get sorted when you land.
Overall, China logged a jaw-dropping 341 million cross-border trips from January to July, up 62.34 percent from the same period last year. The numbers don't lie – China's back on the map in a big way.
Commenting on these numbers, Australian Chamber of Comerce Executive Director, Simon Woods, states: "AustCham Shanghai have hosted and met with many leaders from Australian organizations visiting China during 2024. The slew of measures from China to make it easier to gain entry, such as the recent visa-free announcement for Australians, make the NIA numbers unsurprising but extremely welcomed, and likely to keep growing."
Source: City News Service
