China sees 28.7 pct increase in cross-border travel during May Day holiday

BEIJING, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Border inspection agencies across China have recorded about 10.9 million entry and exit trips made during the five-day May Day holiday, representing a year-on-year increase of 28.7 percent, according to the National Immigration Administration (NIA) on Tuesday.

Of these trips, 5.78 million were made by mainland residents and 4 million were made by residents from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, up 21.2 percent and 37.1 percent year on year, respectively.

Foreign nationals recorded 1.12 million entry and exit trips, rising 43.1 percent compared with the same period last year, according to the NIA. Notably, about 380,000 of those were visa-free entries, a 72.7 percent surge year on year. The figures highlight the growing appeal and effectiveness of China's expanded visa-free policy in attracting international visitors.