Foreign visitors make 8.19 million trips to China in 3rd quarter, as the country greets a travel boom

China's Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that the country will take further measures, including streamlining visa policies, to welcome more foreign visitors to visit the country, as the "China travel" boom continues to pick up pace.

"We will further optimize and improve measures like visa exemptions, and actively facilitate foreign visitors' travel to China. China's door is always open," Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, said at a regular press briefing on Tuesday.

Lin was asked about recent foreign media reports on the "China travel" boom, thanks to various measures taken by China to make it easier and more convenient for overseas tourists to visit China, including visa exemptions, instant digital payment, and other services.

"We are happy to see 'China travel' continues to be popular," the spokesperson said.

In the third quarter of 2024, China saw 8.19 million trips made by foreign visitors, increasing 48.8 percent year-on-year, according to official data. Among them, about 4.89 million trips were made with visa exemptions, up 78.6 percent year-on-year.

Certain foreign media reports suggested that the number of bookings for visits to China made by European visitors has surpassed 2019 levels, according to the spokesperson.