China Records Close to 40 Million Entry-Exit Trips in First Two Months

Data from the National Immigration Administration shows a surge in tourism in China after the lifting of the Covid-19 restriction, with 39.72 million arrivals and departures between January 8 and March 7.

The numbers increased by 112.4 percent annually.

By March 7, data from immigration administration authorities showed that China had given 122,000 visas and residence permits to foreigners, a 33.1 percent increase from the time period before the policy U-turn.

After being isolated from the rest of the world for about three years, Chinese citizens were eager to reconnect with the outside world as soon as the reopening of the country’s borders. Travel for vacations increased in late January due to the Lunar New Year.

According to the National Immigration Agency, the total number of people entering and exiting the country on February 25 reached 1.013 million, the first time that amount had been reached in a single day since 2020.