A television report syndicated by Hong Kong–based Bastille Post on 4 May highlights how China’s 72- and 144-hour visa-free transit policy converted stop-over passengers into high-spending tourists during the May Day rush. At Hekou (Yunnan), cross-border trips from Vietnam topped 100,000 in six days, while Russian nationals streamed through Jilin’s Hunchun Highway Port after Moscow and Beijing’s mutual 30-day visa-free deal took effect earlier this year. Inland cities are also benefiting. Xi’an Tourism Group said foreign ticket sales at the ancient City Wall jumped 35 per cent over 2025 as Australian and Swiss transit passengers opted to stay and explore. Social-media influencers on TikTok and Xiaohongshu amplified the trend by posting real-time videos of transit-friendly itineraries, from sampling Shaanxi biang-biang noodles to cycling atop the Ming-era ramparts. The policy, first piloted in 2013 for selected airports, now covers 27 entry points including popular cruise ports such as Shanghai Wusongkou. Travellers from 55 countries can roam visa-free for up to six days provided they hold onward tickets to a third country.
![Visa-free transit programme proves a magnet for Russian, Vietnamese and Australian tourists]()
For travellers who need clarity on whether they qualify for the transit exemption—or companies arranging more complex multi-city schedules—VisaHQ provides up-to-date eligibility checks, document reviews and express visa solutions for China and other destinations. Its resource hub (https://www.visahq.com/china/) tracks the latest rules and can secure full visas when the 144-hour window isn’t enough, giving planners a single, reliable point of contact.
Local hotels and DMO (Destination Marketing Organisation) offices have responded with bundled packages that include airport pickup, express rail tickets and QR-code city passes to maximise spending within the limited stay. For global mobility teams, the programme offers a low-bureaucracy option for last-minute site visits or client meetings that straddle multiple Asian hubs. Experts caution, however, that travellers must remain within the authorised regions – e.g., Guangdong for Guangzhou arrivals or the Yangtze River Delta for Shanghai – or risk fines and future entry bans. Corporations are advised to issue formal assignment letters and ensure that employees exit China on schedule. Tourism economists estimate the May Day transit influx injected at least RMB 2.8 billion (US$385 million) into local economies, strengthening the case for further expansion of the scheme to secondary airports such as Harbin and Urumqi.
For travellers who need clarity on whether they qualify for the transit exemption—or companies arranging more complex multi-city schedules—VisaHQ provides up-to-date eligibility checks, document reviews and express visa solutions for China and other destinations. Its resource hub (https://www.visahq.com/china/) tracks the latest rules and can secure full visas when the 144-hour window isn’t enough, giving planners a single, reliable point of contact.
Local hotels and DMO (Destination Marketing Organisation) offices have responded with bundled packages that include airport pickup, express rail tickets and QR-code city passes to maximise spending within the limited stay. For global mobility teams, the programme offers a low-bureaucracy option for last-minute site visits or client meetings that straddle multiple Asian hubs. Experts caution, however, that travellers must remain within the authorised regions – e.g., Guangdong for Guangzhou arrivals or the Yangtze River Delta for Shanghai – or risk fines and future entry bans. Corporations are advised to issue formal assignment letters and ensure that employees exit China on schedule. Tourism economists estimate the May Day transit influx injected at least RMB 2.8 billion (US$385 million) into local economies, strengthening the case for further expansion of the scheme to secondary airports such as Harbin and Urumqi.
