China’s tourism landscape has undergone a remarkable transformation following the implementation of its expanded visa-free transit policy, with official statistics revealing unprecedented growth in foreign arrivals. According to the National Immigration Administration, China welcomed approximately 40.6 million foreign nationals through its ports in the past year, representing a substantial 27.2% year-on-year increase.
The cornerstone of this tourism boom is the optimized 240-hour visa-free transit policy, officially launched on December 17, 2024. This comprehensive policy unified and extended previous 72-hour and 144-hour transit options, now permitting citizens from 55 eligible countries to stay for up to 10 days without a visa. The program encompasses 65 open ports across 24 provincial regions, with Indonesia joining the list of eligible countries on June 12, 2025, and five additional ports incorporated on November 5.
Major metropolitan centers have witnessed extraordinary uptake of the policy. Beijing recorded over 3.4 million foreign arrivals, with 55% utilizing visa-free transit. Shanghai saw nearly 5.35 million inbound foreign visitors, 56% benefiting from the policy, while Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport processed more than 3.2 million foreign entries, with over 57% opting for visa-free transit.
Infrastructure enhancements have been crucial to managing the increased traffic. Transportation hubs have implemented “one-stop processing” and online declaration services, with Beijing reducing average waiting times by 15 minutes per traveler. Multilingual service teams now provide guidance and consultation services throughout major ports.
The policy’s impact extends beyond tourism, significantly improving China’s business environment by allowing sufficient time for commercial inspections, negotiations, and conferences. Arjun Dev Grover, an American traveler, shared his experience: “This is perfect—it’s too good to be true. Since my stay in China was under 10 days, I didn’t have to pay anything for the application process.” He particularly noted China’s modern infrastructure, friendly locals, and safe, clean environment.
Data from Qunar.com reveals that bookings by foreign passport holders increased by 20% year-on-year in 2025, covering 175 destination cities. Smaller municipalities like Datong in Shanxi province and Yichun in Jiangxi province experienced over 300% growth in foreign visitors. Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, and the United States emerged as top source countries.
Veteran tour guide Zeng Liangliang, with 20 years of experience in Xiamen, confirmed that foreign tourist numbers have “surged multiple times” in major cities, with increasing numbers arriving for family visits and conferences, signaling a broad-based positive impact on China’s tourism and business sectors.