China’s National Immigration Administration said border authorities handled 192 million entries and exits in July–September 2026, a 7.9% increase from a year earlier. Visa-free foreign arrivals rose faster, climbing 24.1%.
Spokesperson Lu Ning gave the figures at a news conference on October 20, 2026. Foreign nationals made 8.992 million entries without a visa, accounting for 77.5% of all foreign-national entries during the quarter.
The quarter’s total also included travel by mainland residents and residents of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. Their reported crossing counts and year-on-year changes differed.
The agency’s figures cover entries and exits, not unique travelers. Here is how the reported groups compared.
| Group | Border crossings or trips | Year-on-year change |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign nationals | 23.272 million | Up 15.6% |
| Mainland residents | 95.96 million | Up 7.4% |
| Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan residents | 73.14 million | Up 6.4% |
The top 10 origins for inbound foreign travelers were Russia, South Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, the United States, Mongolia, Japan, Singapore, Thailand and Australia. Together, those countries accounted for 63.9% of foreign arrivals.
Visa-free entry expanded from six countries to 50
China began a trial unilateral visa-exemption policy for visitors from six countries in December 2023. By September 2026, the policy covered travelers from 50 countries, with eligible visitors allowed to stay up to 30 days.
A separate transit program offers longer stays to eligible travelers. China extended the visa-free transit period for certain countries from 72 or 144 hours to 240 hours in December 2024. The program currently includes 57 countries.
The two policies feature different stay periods. The quarter’s figures count visa-free entries, rather than the number of people covered by either policy.
Earlier counts and tourism receipts show the broader travel trend
From January through August 2026, foreign nationals made 61.29 million trips across China’s borders, up 19.5% year on year. Of those, 23.72 million entries used visa-free policies, a 26.8% increase.
A tourism-industry report counted 22.914 million visits by foreign nationals in the first half of the year, up 20.4%. The report put visa-free entries at 77.7% of the total and said they had risen 30.6% year on year.
Inbound tourism generated 229.2 billion yuan ($32.1 billion) in travel services exports during the first half, an increase of 31.1%. Wu Liyun, executive deputy director of the China Academy of Culture and Tourism Industries at Beijing International Studies University, said visitors now travel to nearly 500 cities.
Rural travel content in China has drawn more than 5 billion views on TikTok, Wu said. Visitors are practicing Baduanjin, watching Chinese television dramas and joining cultural activities, technology-focused tours and shopping trips.
Shopping clips and neighborhood visits show how trips are changing
Online videos have promoted the “China Travel” and “China Shopping” trends, as well as “Chinamaxxing” and “China Haul.” The latter features foreign visitors arriving with empty suitcases and filling them with purchases.
South African creator Grace Mondlana posted an unboxing of cultural goods and snacks that attracted more than 500,000 likes. The food account “Oh Yummy” visited a snack shop in Changsha, Hunan Province, and called China a “snack paradise.” Its video passed 3 million views.
Some shopping videos feature drones, foldable phones and AI glasses. In Shenzhen’s Huaqiangbei Subdistrict, nearly 8,000 foreign merchants came for procurement each day in 2026.
As of July 2026, AI products made up 61% of electronics products in the commercial zone, compared with 41% in 2025. Overall AI-product sales grew more than 55% year on year. AI glasses sales doubled, while drone and robot sales rose 60–70%.
Purchases also include clothing, beauty products and local goods. Foreign customers account for 30% of foot traffic and 35% of sales at Shanghai footwear brand PANE. Pop Mart reported 37.12 billion yuan in revenue for 2025, with overseas sales exceeding 40%; Chinese beauty brand Florasis became the first from China to enter U.S. retailer Ulta Beauty.
Visitors are also moving beyond shopping districts. A Dutch tourist who visited Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, with friends this summer went to wet markets and parks.
“Many of the vegetables here aren't available in my hometown. It's fascinating,” the visitor said.
Hainan Province’s international medical tourism pilot zone reported a sharp increase in overseas medical tourists this year, with visitors from nearly 20 countries and regions. Tianjin Municipality introduced traditional Chinese medicine tourism routes combining sightseeing with cultural activities, wellness services, purchases and education.
“More foreign visitors are venturing into urban neighborhoods and rural communities to experience everyday life in China,” said Wu Guoping, an industry insider. He pointed to experiences ranging from city nightlife to rural revitalization.
Miao Muyang, director general of the Industrial Development Department at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, said visitors increasingly explore local neighborhoods and factories instead of limiting trips to traditional routes and attractions. Inbound tourism is shifting from “seeing China” to “experiencing China,” he said.
Tourism businesses are also adjusting services. Attractions are introducing AI assistants that interact with visitors in multiple languages in real time, while mobile payments are becoming more accessible to international visitors. Some scenic areas have established international shipping points for purchases.
Xu Peng, vice president of the World Tourism Alliance and president of the Zhejiang Tourism Association, said short stays and limited spending remain the sector’s most pressing challenges. He called for higher-value products based on intangible cultural heritage, villages, culinary traditions and distinctive industries.
Xu also urged businesses to improve packaging and multilingual product explanations for premium Chinese goods, expand departure tax-refund stores, and connect major cities more closely with nearby areas and rural destinations.
The tourism plan sets a 2030 target as holiday traffic rises
China’s tourism development plan for 2026–2030, released in July 2026, proposes attracting 190 million inbound tourist visits a year by 2030 and exceeding 150 billion U.S. dollars in annual inbound tourism spending. It calls for products tailored to visitors from different countries and regions, including local cuisine, traditional crafts, history, culture and technology.
The National Day holiday in early October brought 15.46 million inbound and outbound trips, an average of 2.21 million a day. The agency said the total rose 6.7% from the same holiday period a year earlier.
