YANTAI -- Many ports of entry and scenic spots across China welcomed their first groups of foreign visitors as the new year began, signaling growing interest in travel to the country.

On Wednesday, over 300 tourists from South Korea disembarked the ferry at east China's Shandong Province to start their three-day trip in the cities of Yantai and Weihai.

China announced on Nov 8 an expansion of its visa-free policy to include nationals from nine more countries, including South Korea. Due to closer distance, Shandong has become a popular destination among South Korean tourists.

The border inspection department has enhanced services and improved efficiency to cater to the growing number of foreign visitors.

"We've introduced self-service terminals to print entry cards and devices for pre-collection of biometric characteristics to streamline the process of information gathering and inspection of foreigners, further improving customs clearance efficiency," said Sun Feixiang, head of the fifth detachment at the Yantai Border Inspection Station, Shandong General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection.

Meanwhile in Zhejiang Province, a group of 26 tourists from Thailand arrived in the picturesque ancient town of Wuzhen, becoming the first foreign tour group to visit the destination in 2025.

To enhance their travel experience, the scenic spot has set up bilingual signs in Chinese and English and provides English-speaking guides, as well as guides fluent in Thai and Japanese.

Their enthusiasm follows China's implementation and expansion of visa-free access and transit policies throughout 2024, leading to a surge in arrivals at major ports across the country.

According to Shanghai Customs, Shanghai's ports saw a significant increase in passenger traffic in 2024, with 36.47 million entries and exits, a 95.3 percent year-on-year increase.

Shanghai Customs recorded 35.10 million inbound and outbound air passengers and 1.37 million cruise passengers, representing year-on-year increases of 88.4 percent and a staggering 28.6 times, respectively. Shanghai maintains its position as China's largest entry and exit port for both air and cruise travels.

The Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport handled over 1.9 million entries and exits, up 120 percent compared to the previous year. The airport handled over 15,000 flights, up 70 percent year on year. The number of foreign arrivals reached a historical high of 220,000, with over 110,000 entering visa-free, representing more than half of all foreign arrivals.

Beijing saw 920,000 visa-free foreign arrivals in 2024 and issued 144-hour and 240-hour temporary entry permits to 64,000 eligible foreign travelers, 4.9 times and 2.2 times the numbers of the same period in 2023, respectively.

Fueled by new policies, inbound tourism to Beijing continues to thrive. From Dec 20 to 31, Beijing welcomed 108,000 foreign arrivals, which is 1.7 times the number of the same period in 2023.