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Foreign passengers enter the border check section of Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, capital of China, July 10, 2024. (Photo/Xinhua)

The National Immigration Administration of China has announced the addition of three new ports of entry for the 144-hour visa-free transit policy: Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport in Central China's Henan province, Lijiang Sanyi International Airport in Southwest China's Yunnan province and Mohan Railway Port in Yunnan.

China has continued to introduce and reinstate a range of visa-free policies, providing ongoing momentum for the growth of inbound tourism.

Instead of simply flying from city to city, more and more foreign tourists are choosing high-speed rail as a way to experience China. On Chinese travel platform Qunar, travelers from the United States, South Korea, Russia, Vietnam and Malaysia have a higher volume of high-speed rail ticket bookings.

The 2-hour high-speed rail circles around Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai; Sichuan and Chongqing; and Guangzhou and Shenzhen are particularly popular. Jinhua, Nanjing, and Suzhou are among the top 10 most popular destinations.

The issue of "accommodation for foreigners," which once troubled visitors, has improved significantly. On the Qunar platform, 97 percent of hotels rated three stars or above in Shanghai can accommodate foreign guests. In cities like Beijing and Guangzhou, which cater to both business and leisure travelers, this figure reaches 80 percent.

According to data from the National Immigration Administration, 14.635 million foreign nationals entered China through various ports in the first half of this year, a year-on-year increase of 152.7 percent. Of these, 8.542 million entered through visa-free policies, an increase of 190.1 percent year-on-year.