Shanghai's two airports handle 1.7 times more inbound passengers in H1

SHANGHAI - Shanghai's two airports saw a surge in inbound passengers in the first half of 2024 as China moved to spur the inbound tourism market with more visa-free policies.

The Pudong and Hongqiao international airports handled over 8.06 million inbound passengers, up 173 percent from the same period a year before, Shanghai Customs said Monday.

The Pudong airport handled 14.79 million inbound and outbound passengers in the six months, up 1.8 times from a year before, the customs authorities said.

At present, the Pudong airport handles international passenger flights from 118 destinations in 48 countries and regions. More destinations are scheduled to be added this month, including Manchester in Britain, Marseille in France, and Penang in Malaysia.

In the latest move to boost the inbound tourism market, China has extended its visa-free policy to New Zealand, Australia and Poland. From July 1, 2024, to Dec 31, 2025, citizens of these countries with ordinary passports are allowed to enter and stay in China visa-free for up to 15 days for business, tourism, visiting relatives and friends, and transit.