Shanghai's Pudong International Airport has seen a significant uptick in passenger traffic this year, with over 20 million inbound and outbound travelers processed at its immigration checkpoint as of 11 am on Aug 29.

This figure, disclosed by the Shanghai General Station of Immigration Inspection's Shanghai Airport Border Inspection Station, represents a doubling from the same period last year and a 20 percent increase over the entire previous year, solidifying the airport's position as the leading checkpoint nationwide.

Over the past year, China has introduced or reinstated various visa exemption policies, including unilateral visa-free entry for citizens from 15 countries such as France, Germany, and Australia, and mutual visa exemptions with countries including Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia. Additionally, the 144-hour visa-free transit policy has been expanded to 37 ports, covering 54 countries. These measures have significantly boosted the influx of international tourists.

Shanghai, a favored destination for global travelers, is establishing itself as the primary gateway for inbound tourism in China. Statistics from the Shanghai Airport Border Inspection Station reveal that Pudong airport has welcomed 2.25 million foreign nationals this year, the highest among all Chinese ports. More than half of these visitors arrived for tourism, family visits, or business purposes, with 600,000 entries facilitated by visa-free policies, representing a nine-fold increase from the previous year.

Furthermore, the station has issued 24/144-hour visa-free transit permits to 160,000 eligible international travelers, providing 950,000 passengers with direct 24-hour transit services without border inspection procedures, bolstering Shanghai's status as a key international transportation hub.

The favorable immigration policies, coupled with the expansion of international flight routes, have led to a rise in flight and passenger volumes at the Shanghai Pudong International Airport, which now handles an average of 520 international passenger flights daily. This year, over 14 million Chinese mainland residents have passed through the airport, accounting for 70 percent of the total immigration checks at the port.

To enhance efficiency, the Shanghai Airport Border Inspection Station has implemented a "tidal" deployment strategy, optimizing operational efficiency to reduce passenger wait times during peak periods.

Particularly, family-friendly zones and priority lanes have been set up during the summer travel season to cater to families with children, the elderly, individuals with disabilities, pregnant women, and late-arriving passengers, ensuring a smooth and secure passage through the checkpoint.

Source: Shanghai Observer