China's Visa-free Policy Boosts Inbound Tourism in Hunan

A foreign traveler goes through customs checks at Changsha Huanghua International Airport. (Photo/the corespondent)

As of March 17 this year, China's 240-hour visa-free transit policy has been in effect for three months. During the period, Hunan's ports of entry handled 163,000 entry-exit trips by foreign travelers, increasing 19% over the same period last year, according to the Hunan General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection. Of the total, over 700 trips were made by individuals benefiting from the 240-hour visa-free transit policy.

Travelers queue for customs checks at Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport. (Photo/the corespondent)

"Since March, foreign tourists have flocked to Zhangjiajie, resulting in a significant increase in the number of international flights at Zhangjiajie Port," said a person in charge of the Hunan General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection. As of March 17, the number of inbound and outbound flights in March has grown by 40% year on year, with a peak of 16 international flights in a single day. Meanwhile, the number of inbound and outbound personnel registered a 27% year-on-year increase. Of the total, foreigners accounted for 97%. Among foreigners entering China through the Zhangjiajie Port, 92% are tourists from South Korea, Thailand, and Malaysia who enjoy the 30-day visa-free policy.Facing rapidly growing number of foreign travelers, the Hunan General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection offers one-stop services covering the issuance and checks of temporary entry permits. In addition, a model that allows foreign travelers to apply for and fill in arrival cards for a pre-examination during the flight has been implemented. The average waiting time of foreign passengers has been shortened to less than 30 minutes.

This article is from the Hunan Provincial Government www.enghunan.gov.cn.