China’s National Immigration Administration reported a substantial surge in cross-border mobility during the recent New Year holiday period, with total trips reaching 6.62 million between Thursday and Saturday. The three-day holiday period demonstrated remarkable recovery in international travel, averaging approximately 2.21 million daily crossings—a significant 28.6 percent increase compared to the same period last year.
Travel patterns revealed distinct demographic trends among travelers. Mainland Chinese residents accounted for the majority of crossings at 3.36 million trips, representing a substantial 39.1 percent year-on-year increase. Residents from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan regions followed with 2.42 million trips, marking a 15.9 percent growth. Foreign nationals contributed 828,000 crossings, showing a robust 29.8 percent increase from previous year figures.
Notably, visa-free entry policies facilitated 292,000 foreign national entries, demonstrating a 35.8 percent surge that highlights China’s increasingly open border policies. The transportation sector similarly experienced growth, with authorities inspecting 283,000 inbound and outbound flights, vessels, trains, and vehicles—an 11.4 percent increase year-on-year.
The data reflects both restored travel confidence and China’s ongoing efforts to normalize cross-border movement following global travel disruptions. The statistics indicate not only returning tourism and business travel but also suggest strengthening international connections across multiple transport modalities.