Our journalist learned from the Nanning Border Inspection Station yesterday that the passenger flow at Nanning Port reached a new high during this year’s May Day holiday. At Nanning Wuxu International Airport, more than 110 inbound and outbound flights were checked, and more than 7,000 inbound and outbound visits were inspected. The number of “short-distance travel” passengers to ASEAN countries increased significantly. China’s convenient entry and exit policies, such as the 240-hour visa-free transit, continue to show their appeal, and the popularity of inbound tourism is on the increase. The Nanning Port was experiencing a peak in both inbound and outbound passenger flow.

It is reported that the implementation of mutual visa-free policies between China and ASEAN countries has greatly facilitated cross-border short-distance tourists. During this year’s May Day holiday, the number of flights from Nanning to places such as Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur has increased to 52. Among outbound travelers, the number of people choosing group travel accounts for over 60% of the total.

Since December 17, 2024, the National Immigration Administration comprehensively relaxed and optimized the visa-free transit policies, and implemented the 240-hour visa-free transit policy for visitors from 54 countries. The combination of visa-free policy dividends and holiday effects has helped the inbound passenger flow at Nanning Port continue to rise. Zhang Huijuan, a tourist from Thailand, said that the mutual visa exemption between China and Thailand has made it more convenient for her to travel to China to visit relatives. According to data from the Nanning Border Inspection Station, from January to April this year, the number of foreign visitors entering through Nanning Port exceeded 20,000, of which about 70% were tourists, demonstrating the strong driving force of visa-free policies on inbound tourism.