Cross-border travelers via Shenzhen top 100 million

The number of inbound and outbound travelers passing through Shenzhen checkpoints has surpassed 100 million this year, local immigration authorities said Monday, as accelerated regional integration and relaxed visa policies fuel record-breaking mobility in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).

Travellers pass through border inspection at the Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint in a file photo. Photos by Xinhua

This milestone was reached 24 days earlier than in 2024, with the daily average number of border crossings nearing 730,000, according to the Shenzhen General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection. The highest single-day figure hit 1.04 million.

The surge followed intensified development of the GBA's "one-hour living circle," the expanded global promotion of the country's "China Travel" cross-border tourism brand, and the continued benefits of relaxed visa policies.

Travelers undergoes goods export tax refund verification at the Wenjindu Checkpoint in April. 

Nighttime traffic at the city's Huanggang Checkpoint, operating 24/7, jumped 37% on weekdays and 23% on weekends year on year following upgrades to the local nightlife scene and the opening of Hong Kong's Kai Tak Sports Park.

At the Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint near the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone, authorities have piloted document-free clearance lanes and introduced advanced inspection technology, improving overall clearance efficiency by 37.2%. One in every four travelers at the port now uses facial recognition to pass without showing travel documents.

Tourists watch a drone formation show at Shenzhen Bay in September 2024.

The number of foreign arrivals via Shenzhen has also seen a sharp increase, fueled by upgraded visa-free policies such as the 240-hour visa-free transit program and unilateral visa exemptions.

As of Monday, the number of international travelers processed at Shenzhen checkpoints had surged 41% year on year to 2.64 million, of which 560,000 entered visa-free — a 105% jump from last year.

Visitors have flocked to Shenzhen's new attractions— from Michelin-starred dining, shopping malls, and helicopter tours to the newly opened Shenzhen Science & Technology Museum— all offering immersive cultural and recreational experiences. (Xinhua)