In the first three quarters (from January 1st to September 30th), Qingdao Airport recorded more than 2.15 million entries and exits, surging by 117% from the same period last year. Among them, residents from the Chinese mainland, residents from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, and foreigners made more than 1.53 million, 89,000 and 500,000 entries and exits, a year-on-year surge of 111%, 148% and 139%, respectively. More than 16,000 passenger and cargo flights were subject to inspection, increasing by 71% from the year before.

In July this year, Qingdao was designated as the first tourism and cultural capital of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) among Chinese cities. The latest honorable title has incentivized Qingdao to promote people-to-people exchanges with the world. Buoyed by the summer travel rush, more than 779,000 people left or enter the border via Qingdao Airport in the third quarter, representing 36% of the total in the first three quarters.

According to a survey by China Tourism Academy on satisfaction among inbound tourists, more than 60% of respondents said they traveled to China to primarily experience Chinese culture. Amid the “China Travel” boom, Qingdao is the most preferred port of entry into China. According to statistics, in the first three quarter, more than 148,000 people, who held tourist visas, and enjoyed visa exemption or transit without visa, entered China via Qingdao Airport.

(Zhou Jianliang)