The city of Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, has seen a surge in inbound tourism so far this summer, as its pleasantly cool climate, expanded visa facilitation policies and diverse travel experiences attract more and more overseas visitors, particularly from South and Southeast Asia.

As temperatures are climbing across much of the country, attractions such as the Jiaozi Snow Mountain, where summer temperatures hover around 10 degrees Celsius, have become popular among international tourists seeking relief from the summer heat.
Together with destinations including the Dounan Flower Fair, one of the world's largest fresh-cut flower trading market, and the city's distinctive coffee culture, Kunming is encouraging more and more overseas visitors to extend their stays, shifting inbound tourism from short sightseeing trips to longer, more immersive travel experiences.
The city's growing appeal has also been supported by China's expanded visa facilitation measures, including the 240-hour visa-free transit policy and mutual visa exemption arrangements with other countries such as Thailand and Malaysia.
As of June 26, more than 2 million passenger trips had been recorded through the border checkpoint at the Kunming Changshui International Airport this year, up 16.66 percent year on year.
Cross-border passenger traffic between Kunming and destinations in South and Southeast Asia exceeded 580,000 in the first half of the year, official data showed.