Why Travel to Xiamen, China

December 17, 2024 onwards, China’s transit visa-free policy comprehensive relaxation, transit visa-free foreigners in the territory of the original 72 hours and 144 hours are extended to 240 hours (10 days), transit visa-free entry and exit ports of entry and exit of 21 new 60, transit visa-free foreigners can be allowed to stay in 24 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) allow the activities of the region across the provincial area of travel. In the implementation of the new policy and 2024 since the “visa-free circle” continued to expand the role of the Xiamen tourism market continues to heat up.

　　Over the past year, the 144-hour visa-free policy has made “China Travel” a buzzword on overseas search platforms, and many foreign tourists view their six-day inbound trip to China as a six-day “test drive” to learn more about the country. Nowadays, the “trial visit” period has been lengthened from 6 days to 10 days.

According to statistics, in 2024, Xiamen City received a total of 3,952,300 foreign travelers, of which 2,703,600 travelers entered through Xiamen ports, an increase of more than 60% year-on-year, nearly 42,000 people used the visa-free policy to enter the country, and received 2,307,000 overnight tourists, an increase of 90% year-on-year.

　　The visa-free transit policy has been called a “trial experience card” for foreigners to China. From 72 hours to 144 hours, to the latest 240 hours, visa-free entry time further extended, as the port city of Xiamen, and how to do a good job of immigration management and service?

　　“In order to further improve the effectiveness of port clearance, we optimize the team entry inspection process, open enough verification channels, so that passengers with the arrival of the inspection ‘zero wait’, and make every effort to ensure that cruise passengers efficient customs clearance.” Shen Wenjuan, head of the Border Inspection Division at Gaoqi Border Inspection Station, said that foreign travelers entering the country by cruise ship are exempted from collecting fingerprint bio-information, and travelers leaving the country by the same cruise ship are exempted from stamping the entry and exit inspection stamps and filling in the foreigner’s entry/exit cards, fully guaranteeing the travelers’ time for sightseeing in Xiamen.

　　“The Immigration Management Police provided efficient and professional customs clearance service guarantees, and provided us with a lot of convenience for customs clearance procedures so that we had enough time to explore the international city of Xiamen.” Wenry, a Brazilian traveler who plans to enter the city through the 240-hour visa-free transit policy, told reporters after getting off the Silver Sea Morning Sun.

　　In 2024, the station cumulative services to ensure the efficient and smooth entry and exit of 43 cruise ships, an increase of nearly 80% year-on-year, a total of 84,000 cruise ship entry and exit passengers, according to the layout of the new year’s cruise routes, 2025 Xiamen International Cruise Home Port is expected to operate nearly 30 voyages of entry and exit of cruise ships throughout the year.

　　For expatriates, the convenience of action in Xiamen is more reflected in the payment and travel. It is understood that at present, Xiamen City, 78 star-rated hotels and major non-star-rated upscale hotels are deployed 76 foreign currency exchange points, foreign card POS 708, of which four-star and above tourist hotels (35) has realized the domestic and foreign bank card acceptance, foreign currency exchange services full coverage. Xiamen’s 13 national 5A, 4A level tourist attractions, have set up offline ticketing window, configure foreign card POS machine, and support cash payment. Inbound travelers with valid immigration documents, can realize online and offline convenient ticket purchase.

　　These convenient initiatives, so that Xiamen has become a real “China’s first stop for inbound tourism”.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)