China Tourism Update — 22 September 2026
tourism • 22 September 2026
China’s latest tourist-friendly updates centre on easier **entry**, smoother **stays**, and strong **inbound demand**. According to China Daily and other recent reporting, China continues to expand visa-free access, with official border data showing **23.72 million entries** made under visa-free policies from January to August 2026, while Beijing has seen a sharp rise in overseas arrivals this month as expanded visa-free rules draw more visitors.[6][2] For practical travel, China has also made life easier for visitors staying outside hotels: South China Morning Post reports that foreign visitors can now **register their stay online** instead of going to a police station in person.[1] China Railway also reported **3.32 billion railway passenger trips** in the first eight months of 2026, which is useful for tourists planning domestic journeys between major cities and scenic regions.[8] One other point worth noting for travellers is that China’s new exit-entry rules took effect on **15 September 2026**. Reporting from ChinaSimply and Trivium China indicates that ordinary tourist pathways such as **L visas**, **30-day visa-free entry** for eligible passports, and **240-hour transit** remain in place, while the new rules mainly affect false statements and certain administrative procedures.[11][13]Sources
- https://www.scmp.com/topics/foreigners-china?pgtype=topic
- https://www.bastillepost.com/global/article/6173167-expanded-visa-free-policies-drive-sharp-surge-in-inbound-tourism-to-beijing
- https://www.scmp.com/topics/china-travel?pgtype=topic
- https://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/erprn1qtk16m/
- https://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/wz1f2vwc3mki/