“免签朋友圈”扩大 政策利好催热“中国游”“中国购”

Core Insights - The implementation of the 240-hour visa-free transit policy has significantly increased the attractiveness of China for foreign tourists, with the number of countries eligible for this policy expanding to 55 [3][9] - The inbound tourism market in China is experiencing steady growth, driven by a combination of policies such as "immediate purchase and refund" and payment facilitation [9] Group 1: Visa Policy Impact - As of June 12, the number of countries eligible for the 240-hour visa-free transit policy has increased to 55, leading to a 39.3% year-on-year increase in foreign visitors entering Beijing, totaling over 1.17 million in the first five months of the year [3] - Among these, over 600,000 foreign visitors utilized the visa-free policy, nearly doubling compared to the same period last year [3] Group 2: Tourist Demographics and Behavior - At Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, over 10,000 travelers have taken advantage of the 240-hour visa-free transit, representing a 90% increase year-on-year [4] - A significant portion of visa-free transit visitors are from Southeast Asia and Europe, with nearly half traveling for tourism purposes [4] Group 3: Economic Impact - In the first quarter of this year, nearly 7.37 million foreign tourists visited China, marking a year-on-year increase of nearly 40% [6] - During the "May Day" holiday, 380,000 foreign visitors entered China under the visa-free policy, reflecting a 72.7% increase [6] Group 4: Shopping and Consumption Trends - The introduction of a "tourism + shopping" model in Yiwu has attracted foreign tourists who engage in both sightseeing and purchasing activities [6] - Shanghai has upgraded its tax refund process from cash to electronic refunds, resulting in a 95.8% year-on-year increase in tax refund sales and over 81% growth in tax refund amounts [7]