The Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport recorded 130,000 cross-border passenger trips between Jan. 14 — the first day of the Spring Festival transport season— and Tuesday, a year-on-year increase of 50.2%.
Approximately 52% of the travelers were outbound, including 46,000 mainland residents who traveled abroad — a 50.5% year-on-year increase. Small and medium-sized family groups and educational tours saw growth compared to individual travel, making up nearly 30% of all outbound travelers.
Routes to South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia were particularly popular, accounting for over 66% of outbound travel. Additionally, routes to the U.K., Austria, Spain, Australia, and New Zealand were also top choices.
Encouraged by China's visa-free policies, overseas interest in visiting China has surged. Nearly 10,000 entries were recorded at the airport in the past week, a year-on-year increase of 21.4%. Visa-free entries accounted for over 55% of the total, rising by 131% year on year.
Airport border inspection authorities predict that 720,000 people will cross the border at the airport during the Spring Festival travel rush, a 35% increase compared to the same period last year.
Jin Sihan, deputy manager of the International Check-in Office of Shenzhen Airlines' Ground Service Department, said the airline plans to add over 1,600 international flights during the period, including routes to popular destinations such as Kuala Lumpur, Phnom Penh, Bangkok, and Tokyo.
Furthermore, between Jan. 14 and Tuesday, the city's railways handled 4.39 million passenger trips, an 8% year-on-year increase, averaging approximately 550,000 trips per day, data from the railway authority show.