According to the Hunan General Station of Immigration Inspection on September 4, during the summer travel rush period from July 1 to August 31, Hunan's ports handled 285,000 inbound and outbound trips, a year-on-year increase of 9.2%. Of these trips, 268,000 were made by tourists, up 9% year on year.

During the summer travel season, 181,000 entry-exit trips were made by Chinese mainland residents, a year-on-year increase of 13%, accounting for 63.5% of the total. Among them, 87% were bound for Asian countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore via direct or connecting flights through Hunan's ports, registering an increase of 14% year on year. The number of travelers to Oceania countries such as Australia and New Zealand rose by 200% over the same period last year. In addition, nearly 10,000 trips were made by residents of Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, a sharp rise of 60.3% year on year, with Taiwanese compatriots contributing approximately 4,800 trips—a 4.2-fold surge.

A total of 94,000 trips were made by foreign nationals, with the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, and Vietnam being the main source countries. Notably, arrivals from North America, Europe, and Africa posted remarkable growth. Specifically, travelers from North American countries such as the United States and Canada increased by 70.7% year on year; those from European countries such as the United Kingdom and Russia rose by 52.4%; and those from African countries such as Kenya and South Africa grew by 36.8%. Thanks to facilitation policies for entry and exit, 80.3% of inbound foreign nationals benefited from visa facilitation measures such as mutual visa exemption, unilateral visa exemption, and visa-free transit policies.

The air route networks at various ports continued to improve, and the advantages of regional gateway hubs became increasingly prominent. Changsha port regularly operates 17 passenger routes to 13 countries and regions in Asia, Africa, and Europe, boasting the only city in central China with direct flights to Africa. Leveraging its high-quality cultural and tourism resources and the ongoing development of the Greater Zhangjiajie International Tourism Area, Zhangjiajie port increased flights to Seoul during the summer travel season, with foreign passengers accounting for as much as 91.5%.

A spokesperson for the Hunan General Station of Immigration Inspection noted that the number of inquiries and requests received through the 12367 service platform has continued to rise. During the summer travel rush, the platform handled a cumulative total of more than 4,300 inquiries and requests regarding entry and exit matters, representing a 38% year-on-year increase. The platform efficiently addressed various questions, including those related to entry and exit policies and customs clearance procedures.

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

Translator: Xiao Juan

Chinese source: hunan.gov.cn