China Travel News: July 2024

China’s new visa-free transit policies and visa waiver agreements have made travel significantly easier, leading to a 152% increase in foreign visitors this year. In the first half of 2024 alone, over 14.64 million foreigners visited, with more than 8.5 million entering visa-free, highlighting China’s potential as a top travel destination. Additionally, mobile payment options like WeChat Pay and Alipay now accept foreign cards, simplifying transactions for international travelers. These advancements suggest a strong potential for continued growth and improvement in the tourism sector.

Starting September 26, China Eastern Airlines will launch two new nonstop routes to Italy. The airline will offer flights from Shanghai to Venice and from Xi’an to Milan, operating three times a week on Airbus A330 aircraft. For China Eastern, the Shanghai-Venice route will be its first-ever flight to Venice. With new flights and visa-free access, Italians can now visit China with unprecedented convenience. We are excited to welcome visitors from Italy and across Europe and look forward to making their travels to China as smooth and enjoyable as possible.

Hong Kong International Airport is set to revolutionize airport security with a major upgrade, allowing passengers to keep liquids (under 100ml) and electronics in their carry-on bags during security checks. This change follows an HK$800 million investment in advanced smart screening technology. The upgrade includes 50 new smart screening channels and 32 full-body scanners, making HKIA the first airport globally to fully adopt such a system.

The new technology aims to enhance efficiency, with the capacity to process about 10,000 passengers daily and reduce scanning times from 15 to 10 seconds. Passengers will benefit from streamlined procedures and increased privacy, as manual checks are replaced with automated systems. This upgrade reflects a broader trend toward smarter, more efficient airport security worldwide.

Starting July 10, 2024, permanent residents of Hong Kong and Macau who are not Chinese citizens can apply for a new five-year multiple-entry travel visa to mainland China. This visa allows for multiple trips within the validity period, with each stay limited to 90 days.

The new Mainland Travel Permits are intended for short-term visits such as tourism, business, or family visits, but do not cover work, study, or news reporting activities.

To attract global tourists, Shanghai government has launched its inaugural Shanghai International Consumption Season, running from July 6 to mid-October. The initiative, “Shanghai Summer,” aims to enhance the city’s appeal to international visitors with a diverse program featuring concerts, music festivals, cultural performances, and major sports events.

Early 2024 data reveals a significant rebound in tourism, with visitor numbers increasing by 300% compared to the same period last year. European interest is notably strong, with substantial growth in flight bookings.