China’s 144-Hour Transit Visa Exemption Ignites International Social Media Trends
With the expansion of the 144-hour transit visa exemption policy, an increasing number of spontaneous international travellers are exploring China, sparking a global online trend tagged “We are in China.” On TikTok, posts related to travel in China have reached over a billion views, turning “China Travel” into a viral phrase across social media platforms.
Ctrip’s data indicates a steady rise in overseas tourists benefiting from the 144/72-hour transit visa exemption. In the second quarter of 2024, there was a 28% increase in travel bookings to China compared to the first quarter. The top countries for inbound travellers included South Korea, Singapore (which introduced mutual visa exemptions with China starting February 9), Japan, Australia, the UK, the USA, Russia, Germany, Spain, and France. Countries like Greece, Brazil, Hungary, Russia, and Canada showed the highest increases.
National Immigration Administration Expects Increase in Foreign Visitors to China in Late 2024
The National Immigration Administration’s data from the first half of 2024 show a significant increase in international movement. From January to June, the agency processed 287 million entries and exits, a 70.9% increase over the previous year. This included 137 million mainland residents, 121 million residents from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, and 29.22 million foreigners.
During this period, 14.635 million foreigners entered through various national ports, a 152.7% increase over the previous year, including 8.542 million who entered without a visa. The World Economic Forum’s “2024 Travel and Tourism Development Index” ranked China eighth globally in promoting tourism, the only developing economy in the top ten. The Administration also anticipates a continued rise in foreign visitors in the year’s second half.
China’s Tourism Economy Robust in Early 2024
China’s tourism economy kicked off 2024 with solid numbers. The first half of the year is expected to record 2.66 billion domestic tourists, generating ¥2.59 trillion in revenue, with 59.5 million inbound tourists bringing in $45.5 billion in international tourism revenue. The domestic tourism market has steadily recovered, and seasonal fluctuations are narrowing. The first quarter alone accounted for 1.419 billion domestic tourists, reaching over 80% of 2019 levels, with expectations to hit 90% by mid-year.
Policy innovations have propelled the outbound market into a new rapid recovery phase. Enhanced visa-free policies, extended visa durations, visa exemptions at cruise ports, improved tax refund policies, and easier payment options have all contributed to this swift resurgence. According to the National Immigration Administration, around 13.07 million foreign entries and exits were recorded in the first quarter, a 305% increase year-on-year. Popular source countries for inbound travel include Myanmar, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, the UK, the USA, Australia, Singapore, and Russia; popular destinations for outbound travel include Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, the USA, Vietnam, Myanmar, Malaysia, Australia, and Russia.
The upcoming Paris Olympics and European Championship, alongside currency adjustments, are expected to open new growth opportunities in the European and Asian travel markets. For the latter half of 2024, domestic tourist visits are projected to reach 2.81 billion with revenues of ¥2.95 trillion; inbound tourism is expected to see 65.34 million visits, generating $52.8 billion in revenue; and outbound tourism is expected to reach 72.51 million trips.
Cancellation of Mandatory Booking for Tourist Attractions Spurs Travel Boom
With the peak summer travel season underway, more regions are abandoning the mandatory booking system for tourist attractions. Beijing, Shanghai, and Suzhou announced this change as early as June, driving a surge in travel interest.
In Beijing, coinciding with the graduation season and summer holidays, the abolition of the reservation system at many attractions has rapidly increased travel demand. Meituan reports that in the past month, bookings for attractions in Beijing grew by 45.4% month-on-month, with ticket orders up by 61.2%, and accommodation bookings, including hotels and homestays, increased by 40.6%. This surge has made Beijing the most popular travel destination in the country for July.
Family and educational trips have also become popular this summer, with various educational travel products seeing a surge in bookings. Data from Dazhong Dianping shows that searches for one-day educational trips and summer camps in Beijing have risen 180% and 177% year-on-year, respectively.