China's Dragon Boat Inbound Bookings Surge 600% as 30-Day Visa-Free Entry Draws Tourists Inland
Updated
Updated · South China Morning Post · Jul 1
China's Dragon Boat Inbound Bookings Surge 600% as 30-Day Visa-Free Entry Draws Tourists Inland
1 articles · Updated · South China Morning Post · Jul 1
Summary
More than 600% year-on-year growth in inbound bookings for the June 19-21 Dragon Boat Festival marked a sharp jump in foreign travel to China, with visitors increasingly venturing beyond Shanghai and Beijing.
30-day visa-free access for countries including Australia and broader looser entry rules are driving the surge, helping shift demand toward inland destinations such as Chengdu, Chongqing, Zhangjiajie and Guizhou.
8.3% growth in direct inbound flights in the 12 months to June 10 and 22.4 million scheduled airline seats for June-August, up 4.3%, show carriers are adding capacity to meet demand.
1.26 million trips by foreign nationals to and from China during the May Labour Day holiday, up 12.5%, suggest the summer boom is building on earlier momentum; visa-free entries reached about 436,000, up 14.7%.