Hunan Handles 43,000 Entry-Exit Trips During Eight-day Holiday

According to the Hunan General Station of Immigration Inspection, Hunan's airports handled 43,000 inbound and outbound trips and 280 inbound and outbound passenger flights during the eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, representing increases of 2.7% and 3.3% respectively compared to the same period last year and marking increases of 21% and 20% respectively compared to the same period in September.

A relevant official from the Hunan General Station of Immigration Inspection stated that many travelers opted for flexible itineraries during this year's eight-day holiday. Before the holiday, the number of cross-border trips at the airports peaked on September 26, exceeding 6,100. On October 1, 4, 7, and 8, the daily border crossings all approached or surpassed 5,500, with the highest volume recorded on October 8, exceeding 5,900.

Passengers clear customs at Changsha Huanghua International Airport during the National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday. (Photo/Cao Wang)

During the holiday period, mainland residents made over 19,000 entry and exit trips through Hunan's airports, accounting for 45.6% of the total, a year-on-year increase of 13%. Among the total outbound Chinese mainland residents, 97% traveled through Changsha airport, with Malaysia, Thailand, and Japan being the top three destination countries. A total of 23,000 trips were made by foreign travelers, representing 53% of the total, with 72% of them entering and exiting China through Zhangjiajie airport. During the National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, South Korean tourists accounted for 81% of foreign nationals entering China through Hunan's airports.

Passengers clear customs at Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport during the National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday. (Photo/Peng Yue)

During the holiday, Changsha airport handled 58% of the total inbound and outbound passenger flights, while Zhangjiajie airport handled 42%. Flights to and from South Korea constituted 45% of the total, followed by Malaysia (14%) and Thailand (10%).

To cope with the passenger flow peak during the holiday, the Hunan General Station of Immigration Inspection has implemented multiple support measures. These include conducting advance assessments of peak periods and passenger flow trends, as well as real-time monitoring of port traffic to ensure that all inspection channels are fully operational during rush hours.

Additional officers with strong foreign language skills have been deployed to provide consultation and guidance, assisting foreign passengers in preparing for inspections to enhance the utilization rate of e-channels, thereby maximizing overall port throughput capacity.

Furthermore, timely clearance guidance is provided through the "Xiaoxiang Gateway" official WeChat account, the 12367 service platform, and on-site display screens. Special assistance has also been provided to the elderly, children, and other travelers requiring special care, fostering a safe, convenient, and welcoming clearance environment.

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

Translator: Xiao Juan

Chinese source: hunantoday