Southwest China’s Guizhou province has experienced an extraordinary tourism boom, with international arrivals skyrocketing by 267% year-on-year throughout 2025. This remarkable growth has been primarily fueled by China’s expanded visa-free entry policies and the restoration of international air connectivity following pandemic-era restrictions.
According to official data released by the Guizhou provincial border inspection authority, the region recorded over 74,000 foreign entries during this period. Notably, more than 29,000 of these arrivals utilized visa-exempt channels, representing a staggering 275% increase compared to the previous year.
Yang Yujie, a representative from the Guizhou border inspection authority, identified tourism, academic pursuits, and business engagements as the primary motivations for international visitors. “We’re observing distinct patterns in travel demographics, with senior travelers, family vacation packages, and short-duration excursions emerging as dominant trends in cross-border tourism,” Yang noted.
The statistical breakdown reveals particularly impressive growth from South Korea. During the 14-month policy implementation period beginning November 2024, Guiyang Airport welcomed over 2,000 South Korean visitors—accounting for approximately 6% of all foreign entries and marking a 46-fold increase compared to the same timeframe in the previous period. Tourism purposes motivated more than 80% of these South Korean arrivals.
Enhanced aviation infrastructure has significantly contributed to this tourism surge. Guiyang expanded its international network in 2025 by launching two direct routes to South Korea (Incheon and Cheongju), bringing its total international passenger routes connecting to East, Southeast, and South Asia to 15 destinations.
To accommodate the substantial increase in passenger volume, Guizhou’s border control authorities have implemented streamlined processing measures including fast-track clearance authorization systems and digital platforms for pre-submission of foreign entry vehicle documentation.