As the visa-free policy continues to pay dividends, Hunan's inbound tourism market is experiencing a new round of growth. On July 5, according to the Hunan General Station of Immigration Inspection and the Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan Scenic Area that in the first half of this year, the province handled more than 860,000 inbound and outbound trips, a year-on-year increase of 10.5%. Additionally, the Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan Core Scenic Area recorded impressive figures, receiving 576,900 inbound tourist trips, a year-on-year increase of 41.47%, further enhancing Hunan's appeal for international tourists. 

The number of Russian visitors to Zhangjiajie has more than quadrupled.

On July 4, the Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan Scenic Area, shrouded in mist and clouds, resembled a living landscape painting. The Bailong Elevator shuttled through the sea of clouds, and the peaks of the Ten-Mile Gallery were half-hidden. Tourists from around the world walked along the scenic paths, taking photos and enjoying the scenery, as the scenic area's popularity continued to rise.

At the Tianzi Mountain observation platform, a tourist from Russia was busy snapping photos with his younger brother and friends to capture the majestic peaks before them. Having worked in Chengdu for many years, he had specially invited his relatives and friends, who were visiting China for the first time to Zhangjiajie.

"It feels great. I brought two Russian friends with me—it's their first time in China. Zhangjiajie is a very special place, completely different from other tourist attractions in China. It's truly breathtaking," he said, adding that the increasingly convenient entry policies have also made it much easier for them to travel to China.

Impressive figures highlight the popularity of this international tourist destination. From January to June this year, the Wulingyuan Core Scenic Area received a total of 3.2812 million tourist visits, a year-on-year increase of 1.04%. Among them, 576,900 trips were made by inbound tourists, a year-on-year increase of 41.47%, reflecting rapid growth in overseas tourist markets.

In particular, since the visa-free policy took effect, Russia has become the fastest-growing source market. In the first half of the year, the Wulingyuan Scenic Area received a total of 50,470 Russian tourist arrivals, a year-on-year increase of 404.35%, making it a vital driver for inbound tourism growth.

Leveraging its rare quartz sandstone peak forest, Wulingyuan has continuously improved its service systems including multilingual signage and tour guides, cross-border ticketing, and enhanced services for foreign tourists. And, with convenient entry-exit policies, Wulingyuan continues to expand international source markets in regions like Russia, Southeast Asia, and Europe and the Americas, steadily boosting Zhangjiajie's profile as an international tourism destination.

Hunan handled over 860,000 inbound and outbound trips in the first half of the year. 

The popularity of Zhangjiajie is a microcosm of Hunan's inbound tourism boom. Data from the Hunan General Station of Immigration Inspection shows that in the first half of this year, the province handled over 860,000 entry-exit trips, a year-on-year increase of 10.5%, and over 5,400 inbound and outbound flights, a year-on-year increase of 3%.

Among these, 450,000 trips were made by foreign nationals, accounting for 52.3% of the total. Notably, foreign nationals made 200,000 visits to Hunan under mutual visa exemption, unilateral visa exemption, as well as 24-hour and 240-hour visa-free transit policies, accounting for 89% of all foreign entries. The visa-free policy has become a significant driver for attracting international tourists to Hunan.

Meanwhile, over 380,000 trips were made by mainland residents, a year-on-year increase of 17.4%, reflecting sustained demand for outbound travel and business exchanges. Over 30,000 trips were made by residents from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, a fivefold year-on-year increase, indicating increasingly close economic, trade, and cultural exchanges between Hunan and these regions.

As Hunan's largest aviation port, Changsha Port's international connectivity continues to improve. Currently, it operates 15 international passenger routes to 13 countries and regions across Asia, Europe, and Africa, offering direct flights to cities like London (UK), Nairobi (Kenya), and Seoul (South Korea).

In the first half of this year, the Changsha Station of Immigration Inspection handled over 3,700 inbound and outbound flights, a year-on-year increase of 2.6%; and over 600,000 entry-exit trips, a year-on-year increase of 12.9%. Among them, mainland residents accounted for 61.4%, and foreign nationals accounted for 35.3%.

A spokesperson for the Hunan General Station of Immigration Inspection noted that since the beginning of this year, the station has continuously optimized customs clearance services. The National Immigration Administration's 12367 immigration service platform handled a total of over 9,700 inquiries and service requests in the first half of the year, a year-on-year increase of 43.3%, covering more than 30 countries and regions. By providing entry-exit policy consultation and customs clearance support for both domestic and international travelers, the service platform has further raised the international service standard of Hunan's ports of entry and injected new impetus into the high-quality development of Hunan's cultural tourism. 

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

Translator: Xiao Juan

Chinese source: hunantoday