China logs 17.8 million cross-border trips over Spring Festival; visa-free entries up 28%
UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation goes live: Chinese visitors now need digital clearance before boarding
Shanghai introduces online arrival card as inbound traffic hits post-pandemic high
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South Korea to widen Chinese tour-group visa waiver after Chunyun success
Seoul announced on 25 February that its 15-day visa-free tour-group scheme for mainland Chinese visitors will continue through mid-2026 and be expanded. The waiver makes incentive and dealer trips easier to arrange but still binds travellers to arrive and leave in the same group, so mobility planners must coordinate flights and manifests carefully.
Africa becomes the new frontier for China’s Gen-Z and millennial travellers
Xinhua reports a sharp uptick in young Chinese choosing Africa for independent travel, lured by visa-friendly entry rules and adventure appeal. The move diversifies China’s outbound map and raises new duty-of-care and insurance considerations for employers whose staff combine work and leisure on the continent.
250 000 Chinese tourists chose Thailand over Korea during Lunar New Year, data show
Data cited on 25 February show Thailand drew about 250 000 Chinese holidaymakers over the Spring Festival, edging Korea into second place while Japanese arrivals halved amid political friction. The shift signals changing risk-reward equations for corporate event planners and could push up prices on key Thai routes.
China logs 17.8 million cross-border trips over Spring Festival break
China processed nearly 18 million cross-border journeys during the 2026 Spring Festival holiday, with international arrivals up 22 percent and visa-free entries surging 29 percent. The figures underscore the rebound of China-bound business and leisure travel following the latest visa-waiver expansions.
Hong Kong welcomes 1.77 million visitors during Mainland Golden Week
Visitor arrivals to Hong Kong hit 1.77 million over the nine-day Chinese New Year break, 14 percent higher than 2025, confirming the SAR’s rebound as a shopping and transit hub. Mainland business and leisure travellers drove the surge, tightening accommodation and transport capacity for corporate itineraries.
Macau counts 1.55 million visitors as Chinese New Year tourism beats expectations
Preliminary data show Macau welcomed about 1.55 million visitors over the Lunar New Year holiday, outstripping official projections and signalling a robust rebound in leisure and MICE demand. Rising bridge traffic and near-full hotel occupancy could affect room availability and labour costs for corporate travellers.
Railway operator adds 2,300 trains to handle record post-holiday return rush
China’s rail network handled an estimated 18.5 million journeys on 23 February, prompting the addition of more than 2,000 extra trains along key business corridors. The unprecedented scale-up demonstrates improving domestic connectivity critical for business travellers and assignees moving between Chinese cities.
CCP tightens overseas-travel approval for lower-ranking retired officials
Sources across several provinces say China has broadened exit-approval rules to cover lower-ranking retired officials, requiring Party sign-off before they can leave the country. Although aimed at state personnel, the move may indirectly slow joint ventures that rely on former officials for international engagements.
Chinese Visa Centre in Busan to close on 2 March, applicants urged to file early
The Chinese Visa Application Service Center in Busan will close on 2 March 2026, with collection dates automatically deferred. Mobility teams moving personnel through South Korea should build in buffer time next week to avoid missed deployment or rotation schedules.