Beijing, April 29,2026: China is set for a surge in cross-border travel during the upcoming May Day holiday, driven by robust outbound demand and growing inbound tourism.
Daily inbound and outbound passenger flows are expected to average 2.25 million and peak at more than 2.4 million in a single day, the National Immigration Administration (NIA) said on Tuesday, as the five-day holiday beginning May 1 ranks among the busiest travel periods of the year.
Major international airports are expected to see notable increases in passenger traffic. Average daily cross-border flows are projected to reach about 102,000 at Shanghai Pudong International Airport and 55,000 at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, according to the NIA.
Land ports bordering Hong Kong and Macao in south China are also expected to see heavy traffic. Daily passenger volumes are forecast to hit approximately 230,000 at Shenzhen’s Luohu port. Zhuhai’s Gongbei port and Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge port are projected to handle about 396,000 and 129,000 passengers daily, respectively.
Authorities said they will step up staffing and traffic management measures to ensure smooth and orderly border crossings during the peak travel period.
Amid a sharp rise in fuel prices and supply constraints, many international airlines have scaled back capacity, while China’s civil aviation sector has maintained sufficient capacity.
Data from Umetrip, a mobile platform for real-time flight information, show that bookings for international routes have risen steadily year on year ahead of the holiday, with multiple Chinese airlines planning more flights than during the same period last year.
This year’s travel pattern has been reshaped by the introduction of spring breaks at primary and secondary schools in multiple regions, effectively extending the travel period from late April to early May, said Zhao Nan, general manager of the industry development department at Umetrip.
“This has helped smooth peak flows, with travelers planning earlier and spreading out their trips, resulting in a more balanced and orderly travel pattern,” Zhao said.
Outbound travel demand is particularly strong for Southeast Asia, with destinations such as Indonesia, Laos, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam all recording increases of more than 30 percent.
The European market is also showing solid growth, with bookings rising by about 13 percent and planned flight volumes increasing by over 17 percent.
As outbound travel gains momentum, China is also set to welcome more international travelers during the holiday period.
Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen are expected to be the most popular destinations for inbound travelers, according to Yang Han, a researcher at Qunar’s Big Data Research Institute.
In terms of growth, arrivals to Sanya and Jieyang in south China are projected to slightly more than double, marking the fastest increases. Meanwhile, more foreign visitors are venturing beyond major cities to destinations such as Nanchong, Yining, Zhanjiang, Ordos, Xishuangbanna, Dali and Luoyang in various parts of China.
By source markets, inbound tourists from Kazakhstan are expected to increase fivefold, while visitors from France will rise by 200 percent and those from Britain are set to double. Thailand, the United States, Australia, the Philippines and Canada also remain key sources of inbound travelers, according to Yang.
China has been welcoming a growing number of international visitors, driven by continuously improved entry facilitation policies and enhanced tourism services.
To date, China has introduced unilateral visa-free policies for 50 countries and implemented 240-hour transit visa-free arrangements for 55 countries.
In 2025, China received more than 150 million inbound tourist visits, up over 17 percent year on year, with inbound travelers spending more than 130 billion U.S. dollars, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Visa-free entries by foreign nationals surpassed 30 million.
Better infrastructure and services are also encouraging foreign visitors to stay longer and engage more deeply with the country. High-speed rail trips, drone light shows and traditional Chinese medicine massages are among the most popular activities for foreign tourists.
Building on this momentum, authorities rolled out measures in March to further boost inbound tourist spending, including refining transit visa-free arrangements and enhancing departure tax refund services. Efforts are also being made to make payment more accessible and strengthen foreign-language services at key venues.
Courtesy Xinhua
