Since the beginning of 2024, as China's visa-free policies continue to expand, the 72/144-hour transit visa-free policies have made it increasingly convenient for international tourists to travel to China. China's tourism has received unprecedented attention.

Recently, the topic of "China Travel" has been trending on global social media, with over one billion view counts of related videos. As it has been the latest trending topic, vloggers are recording and sharing their experiences of traveling in China, showcasing ancient villages, modern cities, classic scenic spots, personalized tours, diverse cultures, and multifaceted activities, attracting more foreigners to explore China.

On July 5^th, the National Immigration Administration released data showing that in the first half of 2024, there were 14.635 million foreign entries into China through all ports nationwide, a year-on-year increase of 152.7%. Among them, 8.542 million people entered visa-free, accounting for 52%, a year-on-year increase of 190.1%. The visa-free transit policies are seen as China's new name cards, making "China Travel" even more attractive.

Since January 2013, China has implemented the 72/144-hour transit visa-free policy. As of now, this policy applies to 54 countries. Twenty cities including Beijing, Tianjin, Shijiazhuang, Qinhuangdao, Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Jieyang, Shenyang, Dalian, Qingdao, Chongqing, Chengdu, Xi'an, Xiamen, Wuhan, and Kunming implement the 144-hour visa-free transit policy, while Changsha, Harbin, and Guilin implement the 72-hour visa-free transit policy.

With this policy, many international tourists, especially travel vloggers, come to China and use videos to showcase the friendliness of the Chinese people, the convenience of daily lives, and the richness of food and culture. A viral internet meme called "city or not city" was created by an American vlogger "Bao Bao Xiong ('Hug Hug Bear' in English)". Topics like this have greatly promoted Chinese cities as travel destinations and presented China's overall image.

How much do international tourists enjoy "China Travel"? According to Qunar.com, in the first half of 2024, the number of passengers booking domestic flights in China using non-Chinese passports increased 1.8 times compared to 2023. Among them, passengers holding U.S., Russian, Canadian, Republic of Korea (ROK), and Australian passports ranked the highest in booking volume, while those holding Malaysian, Japanese, and Kazakhstani passports saw the most significant increases, all exceeding 2.2 times.

In terms of destinations, major cities remain the favorites among international tourists. Data shows that among the top ten popular destinations for international travelers taking flights within China, Guangzhou ranks first, followed by Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Xi'an, Chongqing, Kunming, and Qingdao. Additionally, high-speed rail ticket bookings are higher among travelers from the United States, ROK, Russia, Vietnam, and Malaysia, with the 2-hour high-speed rail among Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai, Sichuan-Chongqing, and Guangzhou-Shenzhen being particularly popular.

"Currently, international flights have recovered to 80% of their 2019 levels, and ticket prices for Chinese airlines are more favorable. A large number of international travelers choose to transit in China, and the visa-free policies provide them with the opportunity to explore China," said Xiao Peng, a researcher at Big Data Research Institute of Qunar.com. "China is once again becoming a popular destination for international travelers. Tourism has become a window for China to present itself and engage in international exchanges, welcoming more people to know, understand, and experience China."

Source :Yangcheng Evening News

144小时过境免签覆盖54国，“China Travel”热爆了

今年以来，随着我国免签“朋友圈”不断扩容，在72/144小时过境免签政策的加持下，外国游客来华旅游越发便利，为中国入境旅游带来前所未有的火热关注度。

近期，“China Travel”标签火爆全球社交媒体，相关视频播放量超10亿次。作为最新的“流量密码”，网络博主们用一段段真实记录外国游客来华旅游体验的vlog，将中国的古老乡村与现代都市、经典景观与个性化漫游、多元文化及立体玩法悉数呈现，让更多外国人“种草”中国游。

7月5日，国家移民管理局发布数据，2024年上半年全国各口岸入境外国人1463.5万人次，同比增长152.7%。其中通过免签入境854.2万人次，占比52%，同比增长190.1%。过境免签政策被视为我国新的“顶级名片”，正在让China Travel更加魅力四射。

2013年1月起，中国开始实施72/144小时过境免签政策。截至目前，这一政策适用国家达54个，其中，北京、天津、石家庄、秦皇岛、上海、南京、杭州、宁波、广州、深圳、揭阳、沈阳、大连、青岛、重庆、成都、西安、厦门、武汉、昆明等20个城市实施144小时过境免签政策，长沙、哈尔滨、桂林等3个城市实施72小时过境免签政策。

借助该政策，不少国外游客，尤其是旅游博主来到中国，用视频展现中国人民的友善、生活的便利以及美食、文化的丰富，由此引发的流量密码，催生“City不City”热梗，极大促进了目的地城市及中国整体形象的宣传。

外国游客有多享受China Travel？据去哪儿平台统计，今年上半年，使用非中国护照预订国内航线机票的旅客预订量同比2023年增长1.8倍。其中，持美国、俄罗斯、加拿大、韩国、澳大利亚护照的旅客预订量排名靠前，持马来西亚、日本、哈萨克斯坦护照的旅客预订增幅最明显，均达到2.2倍以上。

从目的地看，大城市仍是外国旅客的最爱。数据显示，外国旅客在中国乘飞机出行的十大热门目的地中，广州居首，其次则为上海、北京、深圳、成都、杭州、西安、重庆、昆明、青岛。据显示，美国、韩国、俄罗斯、越南、马来西亚旅客的高铁票预订量排名更高，江浙沪2小时高铁圈、川渝2小时高铁圈、广深2小时高铁圈受到欢迎。

“目前，国际航班已恢复至2019年的八成，中国航司的机票价格更合适，大量外国旅客选择在中国中转，免签政策恰好给了他们游玩中国的机会。” 去哪儿大数据研究院研究员肖鹏表示，中国正在重新成为外国人的热门目的地，旅游也成为中国对外展示、对外交流的窗口，得以让更多人认识、理解中国，体验中国。

文 | 记者 刘星彤
图 | 平台提供
译 | 王枥焓