China Tourism Update — 22 July 2026

tourism • 22 July 2026

China’s **latest tourist-friendly updates** are overwhelmingly positive: inbound arrivals are surging, visa-free travel is still expanding, and several new transport links are making it easier to move around the country. According to CGTN and the National Immigration Administration, China welcomed **22.91 million foreign arrivals** in the first half of 2026, up **20.4%** year on year, with **17.82 million** of those entries made visa-free.[11][10] For Australian travellers, the practical takeaway is that China remains highly accessible for short stays. China’s **30-day unilateral visa-free entry** policy for eligible ordinary passport holders from **50 countries** continues through **31 December 2026**, and the **240-hour visa-free transit** option is still available for eligible travellers from **55 countries**.[8][12] Australia’s Smartraveller also notes that visitors must complete an **electronic arrival card** before or on entry, so it is worth preparing that before you fly.[6] On the transport side, China is adding more options that matter to tourists: ecns reports that Chinese airlines now operate **more than 1,000 regular routes**, connecting **177 cities in 80 countries** across five continents, and it also noted a new **Urumqi–Seoul via Yantai** service plus the resumption of the **Datong–Ulaanbaatar** route.[3] For travellers planning multi-city trips, these additions can make it easier to combine Xinjiang, North China, or Inner Mongolia with an international stopover.[3]

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