According to a report on the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post website on May 15, as a technology hub in southern China, Shenzhen has seen a surge in inbound tourists this year, thanks to China's expanded visa-free entry policy and its efforts to integrate the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Reportedly, in addition to visitors from the two special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao, many inbound tourists traveling to Shenzhen come from even farther places, with Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, and Singapore being the main sources of overseas tourists. Since the beginning of this year, the number of foreign nationals entering Shenzhen through the airport port without visas exceeded 152,000, an increase of 160.3% year-on-year; the total number of foreign travelers entering and exiting Shenzhen exceeded 531,000, an increase of 54.6% year-on-year. The report stated that to meet the needs of travelers, a direct flight route between Shenzhen and Dubai will open in July. This year, Shenzhen also added several international routes to important cities such as Vientiane, Osaka, Singapore, Tokyo, Bangkok, and Hanoi. As the headquarters of tech giants Tencent and Huawei, Shenzhen is very attractive to travelers because it is a hub for trade and manufacturing and is adjacent to Hong Kong. "Shenzhen is very fun, more modern, and has lower living costs, so I like to go there for leisure or business trips on weekends." said Mark Gain, founder of the French International Club in Hong Kong. It was reported that the internet celebrity "Hyperthyroidism Brother," who has about 40 million followers on the YouTube video platform, conducted a live broadcast for over five hours in Shenzhen in early April, attracting hundreds of thousands of views. The report stated that at the end of 2023, China began to relax entry procedures and offered visa-free policies to tourists from more countries. The policy was further expanded at the end of last year, adding a 240-hour transit visa exemption policy, which greatly promoted the development of tourism. According to data from the National Immigration Administration, in 2024, the number of foreigners entering China visa-free reached 20.12 million, an increase of 112.3% year-on-year. (Compiled by Wang Diqing) [Image: https://p3-sign.toutiaoimg.com/tos-cn-i-axegupay5k/1237829e7ea64fcd98b8ea0de32a8bd6~tplv-tt-origin-web:gif.jpeg?_iz=58558&from=article.pc_detail&lk3s=953192f4&x-expires=1747972711&x-signature=i%2BvF843gex%2F%2B8uFJhrP9XKJhTOM%3D] [Shenzhen River Mouth Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone (Xinhua News Agency)] [Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7504878259118440960/] [Disclaimer: This article represents the author's personal opinions. Please express your attitude by clicking the "like/dislike" buttons below.]