With the rollout of the 240-hour visa-free transit policy, alongside mutual visa exemption, unilateral visa-free entry, and regional visa-free entry measures, cross-border travel is surging. "China Travel" is trending across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), with Guangdong seeing a significant spike in inbound tourism. According to data from online travel agencies, inbound travel orders for this year's May Day holiday are up 173% year-on-year, with Guangzhou and Shenzhen ranking among the top five inbound destinations nationwide.

Temple fair on Paifang Street in Chaozhou

In the first quarter of this year, several Guangdong ports recorded double-digit growth in inbound and outbound passenger traffic. Shenzhen Bay checkpoint handled 11.5 million travelers, up 26% year-on-year. Gongbei Port in Zhuhai exceeded 30 million, a 12.5% increase, with daily traffic peaking at over 430,000. Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport processed more than 4 million inbound and outbound passengers, a 24.5% rise, reaching this figure 20 days earlier than in 2024. Among them, 1.265 million were foreign nationals, up 45.7%, ranking the airport first nationwide among major international airports. As the only land checkpoint directly connecting the Chinese mainland to the Hong Kong International Airport, the Zhuhai highway port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge saw a surge in foreign travelers, with over 172,000 inspected this year, a 70% increase year-on-year.

Inbound tourists to Guangdong are now venturing beyond Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Zhuhai. In 2024, Chaozhou received 50.7% more inbound visitors than the previous year. In the first quarter of this year, Zhaoqing welcomed 130,857 visitors from Hong Kong and Macao. Tours from Hong Kong organized by Big Line Holiday Limited increased by 70% year-on-year, while Zhaoqing Xinghu International Travel Service Co., Ltd reported an 85% rise in the number of Hong Kong and Macao tour groups received by the end of March.

Chimelong Paradise in Guangzhou

According to Trip.com Group Limited, a short video by American influencer "Hyperthyroid Bro" went viral on overseas social media, driving a 200% year-on-year surge in hotel search volume for May Day inbound travel. Coupled with the "refund-upon-purchase" tax policy for outbound travelers, inbound tourism during the May Day holiday is booming. Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou are among the top 10 destinations, with South Korea, Japan, and Singapore leading as source markets.

Tourism experts believe Guangdong has vast potential for inbound tourism. The GBA's strategic location gives it a unique edge in integrating resources and becoming a global tourism hub. Its international-standard tourism infrastructure, user-friendly digital payment systems, and diversified consumption scenarios not only attract global tourists but also enhance the overall travel experience and quality within the region through resource sharing.

Source: Lingnan on the Cloud

240小时过境免签！“China Travel”风靡粤港澳大湾区

随着240小时过境免签政策与互免签证、单方面免签、区域性入境免签政策等联动叠加，中外人员往来升温，“China Travel”风靡粤港澳大湾区，广东入境游热度飙升。OTA数据显示，今年“五一”入境游订单量同比增长173%，广州、深圳入围全国入境游热门目的地前五。

今年一季度，广东多个口岸出入境客流呈两位数增长。深圳湾边检站查验1150万人次，同比增26%；珠海拱北口岸超3000万人次，同比增12.5%，单日客流最高超43万；广州白云国际机场口岸查验出入境人员超400万人次，同比增24.5%，较2024年提前20天突破该数据，其中入出境外国人126.5万人次，同比增45.7%，占比居全国大型空港口岸首位。作为内地与香港国际机场陆路直达的唯一口岸，港珠澳大桥珠海公路口岸外国旅客量持续攀升，今年查验量超17.2万人次，同比增长超70%。

广东受入境游客喜爱的城市不仅限于广深珠。2024年，潮州接待入境游客人数同比增长50.7%；今年一季度，肇庆接待港澳游客达130857人次，香港大航假期旅行社赴肇港人同比增70%，肇庆星湖国际旅行社截至3月的港澳团接待量同比增85%。

携程报告显示，美国网红“甲亢哥”短视频在海外社媒裂变传播，拉动“五一”入境酒店搜索指数同比激增200%，叠加境外旅客购物离境退税“即买即退”政策，“五一”入境游迎来爆发。上海、北京、广州等城市入围热门目的地前十，韩国、日本、新加坡等为前十客源国。

旅游专家认为，广东入境游市场的发展潜力巨大，粤港澳大湾区的独特地理位置使其具备整合资源、形成国际旅游枢纽的优势。其国际化的旅游基础设施、便利化的支付系统以及多元化的消费场景，不仅有助于吸引全球游客，还可以通过大湾区内部资源的共享，进一步丰富游客体验，提升大湾区整体旅游品质。

文 | 记者 黎存根
图 | 记者 蔡嘉鸿
翻译 | 曾敏
审校 | 林佳岱