Chongqing — Large numbers of foreign visitors traveled to Chongqing during this year's Spring Festival holiday to experience the festive atmosphere of the Chinese New Year, according to the Chongqing General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection.
Travelers line up for immigration inspection. (Photo/Chongqing General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection)
The station said on Feb. 24 that both mainland Chinese residents and foreign nationals passing through the Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport reached record highs during the holiday period.
From Feb. 15 to 23, the Spring Festival holiday period, border inspection authorities in Chongqing processed more than 84,000 inbound and outbound passenger trips, up 40% year on year. Passenger traffic peaked on Feb. 20 and Feb. 22, with daily crossings exceeding 10,000 trips on both days. Both the total number of travelers and the single-day volume set new records for the Spring Festival period.
More than 12,000 foreign nationals entered or exited through Chongqing during the holiday, marking a year-on-year increase of nearly 80%. Of those, more than 3,700 foreign travelers entered under visa-free policies, accounting for nearly 60% of total foreign arrivals.
Malaysia, Vietnam, and Singapore ranked as the top three source countries of foreign visitors to Chongqing, followed by Indonesia and France.
Family trips and group tours remained the primary purposes for mainland Chinese citizens traveling abroad. During the holiday, Chongqing border inspection authorities processed more than 57,000 inbound and outbound trips by mainland residents, up 30% year on year. The top five outbound destinations were Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Vietnam.
Liu Chengchao, deputy captain of the First Duty Team at the Chongqing General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection, said the station implemented enhanced on-site patrols and guidance measures in line with the deployment of the National Immigration Administration to cope with the holiday travel surge. Authorities dynamically adjusted staffing, deployed additional officers, opened all available inspection channels, and strengthened emergency preparedness.
The station also efficiently implemented measures, including the 240-hour visa-free transit policy, online self-service arrival card declarations, and the release of clearance information through multiple channels, guiding Chinese and foreign travelers to pass through border control in a safe and orderly manner and ensuring a secure and efficient clearance environment.