Qingdao becomes an important entry port for foreigners traveling to China. [Photo/Guanhai News]

Traveling to China has been in vogue in recent months, and "China Travel" has become a popular search term on multiple online platforms. Qingdao, as an international coastal tourism destination, has become an important entry port for foreigners traveling to China.

According to statistics from the immigration checkpoint at Qingdao Airport, in the first half of this year, the number of foreign tourists entering Qingdao Airport exceeded 164,000, a year-on-year increase of 252.26 percent. Among them, over 79,000 individuals entered with tourist visas.

In January 2023, China reinstated the 24/72/144-hour visa-free transit policy, further enhancing the convenience of visas in the tourism sector. To date, China has unilaterally implemented visa-free policies for countries such as France, Germany, Australia, Switzerland, Ireland, and Hungary. China has reciprocal visa-free agreements with dozens of countries, including Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia, and has implemented 72/144-hour visa-free entry for 54 countries.

The continuous expansion of China's visa-free policy is making it easier for foreigners to travel to China. Among a series of visa-free policies, the 144-hour visa-free transit provides foreign tourists with ample time to travel in the country, stimulating inbound tourism. Qingdao is one of 20 cities nationwide implementing the 144-hour visa-free transit policy for foreign nationals and the only such city in Shandong province.

Since July, with the peak summer travel season approaching, both outbound travel by mainland residents and inbound travel by foreign tourists have seen noticeable increases.

According to a report released by Ctrip, Qingdao is the seventh most popular travel destination among foreign tourists in China during the summer. Ticket orders for Qingdao's attractions have increased by 67 percent compared to the previous year, outbound travel bookings have increased by 60 percent, and inbound travel bookings have increased by 52 percent.