During the May Day holiday, Hunan's ports of entry and exit experienced a surge in cross-border travel. The Hunan General Station of Immigration Inspection revealed on May 6 that Hunan's ports of entry recorded 26,000 entries and exits from May 1 to 5, a 6.4% year-on-year increase, marking the highest figure for the same period since 2020. Among them, the number of residents from Hong Kong and Macao saw a notable increase, rising 4.6 times year-on-year; residents from Taiwan followed, with a 4.2-fold year-on-year increase.

The photo shows the Zhangjiajie port. (Phot/Peng Yue)

During the May Day holiday, Hunan's ports of entry and exit handled a total of 164 passenger flights, a 7% increase year-on-year. Flights to and from South Korea ranked first with 74 flights, followed by those to and from Malaysia, Thailand, China's Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam, and other countries and regions. International and regional passenger flights at the Changsha and Zhangjiajie ports accounted for 61% and 39% of the province's total, respectively. In particular, the daily flight between Hong Kong and Changsha and the three weekly flights between Hong Kong and Zhangjiajie provided convenience for travelers from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan entering Hunan, bringing in large number of visitors.

Mainland residents showed high enthusiasm for outbound travel. During the holiday period,11,000 mainland resident outbound trips were recorded via Hunan ports, a year-on-year increase of 16.4%. Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore emerged as the most popular outbound destinations.

As the development of the "Greater Zhangjiajie International Tourism Area" continues to advance, Zhangjiajie's spectacular peaks and beautiful waters, along with new cultural and tourism formats, are increasingly attracting foreign tourists. Data shows that among foreigners entering China via Hunan's ports, over 70% chose to enter directly via the Zhangjiajie port.

The surge during the May Day holiday is merely a reflection of the year-long trend. Driven by favorable policies, Hunan's ports of entry processed 580,000 entry-exit trips in the first four months of 2026, a 15% year-on-year increase. In April alone, 112,000 inbound and outbound trips were made by foreigners, with over 53,000 inbound trips—a 3.5% year-on-year increase and a record high for the month of April.

Even more noteworthy is that foreign visitors to Hunan in April came from 85 countries and regions. South Korea remained the top source market with nearly 35,000 visits, a 23.9% year-on-year increase. The number of inbound foreign visitors from 16 countries, including the United States, Canada, and the Philippines, more than doubled compared to the same period last year.

This article is from Hunan Provincial Government. www.enghunan.gov.cn.  

Translator: Xiao Juan

Chinese source: Chinanews