China Surges, US Slips: Why Australians Prefer New Travel Choices

Australian travellers are shifting their long-haul plans in 2025, moving away from the United States and toward China, as new entry rules in China cut red tape and costs while safety concerns and stricter entry practices cloud trips to the US. Airlines and agents report the change is steady rather than sudden, but the policy gap is clear: China now offers easier short-term entry for Australians, and the US does not.

China’s policy changes are doing most of the work. From November 30, 2024, Australia joined China’s visa waiver program, allowing Australians to enter visa-free for up to 30 days for tourism, business, or family visits. That doubles the earlier 15-day allowance and removes an administrative step that often added time and expense to travel plans. The change applies to a range of city pairs popular with Australians, making both first-time and repeat trips smoother.

Beijing also widened its 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit policy in December 2024, adding more entry points and more eligible nationalities. For Australians, this has opened multi-city routes that used to require careful visa timing. Travellers can now fly into one major hub, connect through another, and still see more of China in a single trip without a pre-arranged visa, as long as they meet transit rules and onward ticket requirements.

By contrast, the US picture has dulled. Australia keeps a Level 1 (lowest risk) advisory for the US, but early 2025 warnings cited rising safety concerns, including violent incidents and outbreaks of disease. Data provided to the travel sector show Australian visitor numbers to the US fell 7.8% in March 2025 compared with a year earlier, the steepest drop since the COVID-19 pandemic. While travel continues, the mood among some holiday-makers and families has cooled.

Border experience also matters. The United States enforces strict entry checks and has detained and deported foreign nationals, including Australians, which weighs on decisions about big-ticket trips. For most people the process remains routine, but the risk of an on-the-spot refusal with limited recourse is enough to turn some itineraries toward East Asia, where current entry conditions feel more predictable.

Visa shifts are reshaping trip planning

For Australians, China’s 30-day visa-free entry removes the need to book consulate appointments, gather paperwork, or pay processing fees for short stays. That helps families visiting relatives, small firms scoping suppliers, and first-time visitors who want to build flexible itineraries around a few key cities.

The expanded 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit adds another layer: travellers can connect through more gateways, spend several days in different regions, and still avoid pre-trip visa tasks if they hold confirmed onward tickets to a third country.

The Australian Consulate-General in Shanghai has framed the visa waiver program as a practical way to support two-way travel and trade. Chinese immigration authorities have said the widened transit program aims to promote tourism and business exchanges by making short, multi-stop visits easier. For Australians choosing between far-flung options, both steps reduce friction at the exact points where many trips used to stall: paperwork, timing, and cost.

Real-life examples

• A Perth couple heading to a family wedding in Guangzhou can now add a week in Chengdu without extra forms.
• A Brisbane exporter can fly into Shanghai, meet buyers, and swing through Shenzhen on a short hop, all within the visa-free window.
• A Melbourne student can slot in a 10-day stopover in Beijing and Xi’an en route to Europe, using the transit policy to turn a long flight into a richer journey.

Safety messages and border practices drive caution on US trips

Australia’s official advice still lists the United States as low risk overall, yet early 2025 notices about violent incidents and disease outbreaks have filtered into dinner-table talk and travel forums. When paired with stories of strict border checks and occasional detentions, the overall feel is different from pre-2020. That perception—fair or not—helps explain the 7.8% year-on-year drop in Australian visitors in March 2025.

Entry rules matter here, too. Travellers to the US must hold the right entry permission, and they face possible refusals at the border with limited options to appeal in the moment. For a family pouring savings into a once-in-a-decade holiday, that uncertainty can be a deal-breaker. It contrasts with the current Chinese settings, where short-term stays for tourism, business, or family visits are visa-free for Australians, and transit options are broader than a year ago.

Key takeaway: The relative predictability and lower upfront cost of short visits to China are shifting some Australians away from the US, even as the US remains a popular destination overall.

Practical steps for Australians comparing routes in 2025

1. Map your stay length:
   • China’s visa-free entry allows up to 30 days.
   • The separate 240-hour (10-day) transit policy suits short stopovers with onward travel.
2. Keep proof ready:
   • Carry hotel bookings, return or onward tickets, and details of meetings or family visits to smooth entry checks.
3. Check official advice before you book:
   • See the China page at https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/china
4. Call ahead if unsure:
   • China’s National Immigration Administration hotlines: Beijing (+86)-10-12367, Shanghai (+86)-21-12367, Guangzhou (+86)-20-12367.
5. For US trips:
   • Allow extra time at the border and prepare for questions about your plans, funds, and return travel.

Why the shift is gaining pace

Before 2024, the United States was a top pick for Australians because of pop culture ties, family links, and a well-worn flight network. The pandemic broke habits and forced travellers to rethink value, distance, and entry rules. When China reopened and then moved to visa liberalization in late 2024 and early 2025, pent-up demand met simpler rules.

At the same time, ongoing social unrest and health incidents in the US cooled the urge for some to book that big city break. Travel sellers say the new Chinese policies also support multi-generational trips: grandparents who once hesitated at paperwork now see a clear 30-day window to visit relatives or tour major sights. Small businesses can make faster decisions on short visits without accounting for consulate timelines. These add up across thousands of bookings.

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, countries that lower entry barriers for short stays tend to gain market share from long-haul source countries like Australia, especially when safety perceptions are stable. China’s expanded visa-free access and transit flexibility fit that pattern, while the United States faces headwinds tied to safety messages and border outcomes that feel tougher than a few years ago.

Looking ahead

Chinese authorities are expected to keep expanding visa-free access and transit options through 2025, possibly adding more eligible countries or ports of entry. That outlook aligns with the Australian Consulate-General’s view that easier short stays support tourism and business ties.

For travellers, this means:
– More routes and longer stays without pre-trip paperwork, provided they watch for rule updates and stick to permitted time limits.
– The United States may stabilize Australian arrivals later in the year if confidence improves, but the current gap is visible: China offers a clearer path for short trips, and many Australians are voting with their passports.

This reality does not end interest in the US; it reframes it. Big-ticket experiences remain on wish lists, yet more Australians are choosing to delay them. With China’s visa-free 30-day entry and widened 10-day transit in place, the path of least resistance in 2025 runs through Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, and beyond.