China's holiday travel surges as visa-free arrivals rise

BEIJING -- China saw a surge in cross-border travel during the May Day holiday, with nearly 11.3 million trips recorded, as an uptick in international visitors, including those entering visa-free, added to the increase.

Border crossings averaged about 2.26 million per day during the five-day holiday that began on May 1, up 3.5 percent from a year earlier and peaking on May 2, the National Immigration Administration said on Wednesday.

Trips by foreign nationals to and from China rose to 1.26 million during the holiday, a 12.5 percent increase from a year earlier. Among those entering China, 436,000 came visa-free, up 14.7 percent.