Shanghai saw 2.6 million foreign visitors in H1 2025, up 45% YoY, driven by China’s relaxed visa policies. More than half entered using visa-free or 240-hour transit options — over three times last year’s figure — after China expanded visa-free access to 38 countries in late 2024. About 1.4 million of them entered China under a visa-free policy, more than three times the figure observed in the same period last year. South Korea, Japan, the US, Thailand and Russia were among the top sources of foreign arrivals. Travel agencies Tongcheng and Trip.Com reported surging demand, with Trip.com bookings doubling and leisure product sales tripling in Q1. Trip.Com Chairman James Liang said inbound tourism has recovered to 70–80% of pre-pandemic levels.