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This August, the arrival hall of Chengdu Tianfu International Airport (TFU) was particularly bustling. Russian traveler Ivan efficiently cleared customs in just ten minutes with his passport and connecting ticket to Thailand.

In December 2024, the stay duration for foreign nationals eligible for visa-free transit was extended from the previous 144 hours to 240 hours. Data from the National Immigration Administration reveals a 53.9 percent year-on-year (YoY) surge in visa-free foreign entries during the first half of the year, totaling 13.64 million arrivals. Chengdu ranked among China's top five cities for visa-free arrivals, with its border inspection station processing over 31,000 transit cases under the 24-hour and 240-hour visa-free policies—a 62.7 percent YoY increase. Transit data from TFU further confirms Chengdu's growing appeal in the global "China Travel" trend. In the first half of the year, Chengdu handled approximately 4.213 million transit arrivals, achieving a 15.4 percent transit rate and ranking among China's top-performing aviation hubs.

As growing numbers of international travelers choose Chengdu as a transit hub, how can visa-free transit traffic be transformed into increased consumer spending?

Expanding Global Aviation Network

Delivering Effortless Border Entry

"The direct reason I chose Chengdu was convenience—it has direct flights, and I could easily add it to my travel itinerary," said Elena from Madrid, Spain, who is currently on a round-the-world trip. Upon learning that Spanish citizens qualify for China's 240-hour visa-free transit policy, she selected Chengdu as her entry point. "And giant pandas were another big draw for me," Elena said.

The launch of Chengdu-Madrid direct flights in April this year, which operate four times weekly, has significantly shortened the distance between the two cities while positioning Chengdu as a convenient transit hub. Since the beginning of this year, Chengdu has been steadily expanding its global aviation network, with plans to resume, launch, or increase frequency on 28 international passenger and cargo routes by year-end. Take the TFU as an example. This aviation hub has launched 70 international and regional routes to date, ranking first in China's central and western regions regarding the number of international and regional passenger destinations served.

While an extensive flight network forms the hard infrastructure, Chengdu's soft power lies in its seamless travel services. The TFU has addressed challenges by optimizing operations. It has launched the through-flight guarantee procedures for three transfer directions: international-to-international, international-to-domestic, and domestic-to-international. Additionally, it has expanded the rest area for international through-flight passengers and added transfer security check channels. "Through collaboration with on-site partners, we've reduced the minimum international connection time at TFU to just 90 minutes," stated a person in charge of the airport. "Additionally, we've partnered with airlines to launch 19 international through-flight routes."

The entry and exit procedures at the airport hub are also being continuously optimized. At Chengdu aviation ports, the implementation of smart devices and dual pre-clearance for luggage enables inbound passengers to complete customs inspections in as little as five seconds. "The introduction of sticker-style temporary entry permits has replaced traditional stamp-based authorization," explained Li Shengyao, Deputy Team Leader of the 7th Duty Team of Chengdu Border Inspection Station, Sichuan Border Inspection General Station. "By streamlining procedures and enhancing services, we provide foreign passengers with a more convenient entry experience." During an on-site test, the reporter observed that inbound passengers can complete the entire process from self-service application submission to staff verification and permit issuance in less than 10 minutes under normal conditions.

Data shows that as of August 1, Chengdu aviation ports have handled over 3.6 million inbound and outbound passenger arrivals in 2025, an 11.9 percent YoY increase, along with over 27,000 international flights, marking 15.4 percent YoY growth. Chengdu maintains its leading position among the opening-up aviation ports in central and western China for both exit-entry passenger and flight volumes. Notably, over 312,000 foreign nationals entered China through Chengdu via unilateral visa waivers, mutual visa exemptions, and transit visa-free policies—2.3 times the volume recorded during the same period last year.

Instant Tax Refunds, Real-Time Transfers

Chengdu Attracts Transit Shoppers

"Pack an empty suitcase for Chengdu!" This travel tip on overseas social platforms has resonated with tourists. At present, more than 4,000 first stores from both domestic and international brands have settled in Chengdu.

In the city center of Chengdu, 181 departure tax refund stores in the core business circle of Chengdu IFS - Chunxi Road - Taikoo Li have joined forces to form Sichuan's first characteristic departure tax refund block, namely, Chunxi Road Tax Refund Block. The tax refund counter, originally located at the airport, has been moved to the city center. Among them, 92 stores offer one-stop refund-upon-purchase services, making the Chunxi Road business district a popular shopping destination for transit passengers.

Inside Chengdu Shidai Parkson, located on Chunxi Road, multiple shops display "Tax Refund" signs at their checkout counters. "When foreign customers see this sign, they're instantly drawn to shop," said Tan Chunyu, a sales associate at the Bosideng boutique in Parkson Shopping Center. Not long ago, she assisted a Malaysian tourist who brought the entire family for a shopping spree, purchasing five heavy-duty windproof down jackets in one go, totaling over 20,000 yuan.

Since Malaysia is a tropical country, why did this tourist buy so many down jackets? It turns out the tourist was preparing for a family winter trip—taking advantage of summer discounts on winter gear and making a special shopping stop in Chengdu during the layover. After purchasing at the second-floor boutique, the Malaysian tourist proceeded to the fifth-floor service center for filing a tax refund application form, then headed to the tax refund service counter at the opposite IFS—over 2,000 yuan refund was processed in seconds.

During the interview, the reporter encountered an Indonesian tourist shopping in the store. She purchased outdoor jackets and UV-protection clothing worth 6,283 yuan, receiving a tax refund of approximately 565 yuan.

"We've partnered with merchants to showcase distinctive Sichuan-style small goods in prominent first-floor displays. After receiving instant tax refunds in cash, international tourists are motivated to make additional purchases." The ground floor of Parkson Shopping Center features an array of panda-themed cultural merchandise, including panda-shaped fridge magnets priced at 19 yuan each and panda-designed soy sauce dishes priced at 29 yuan each. These limited-edition Sichuan collectibles have become impulse-buy favorites among international tourists. Xu Lin, the store manager, introduced that since the full implementation of the departure tax refund policy, the store's turnover has increased by approximately 12 percent month-on-month. Foreign tourists contribute approximately seven percent of the store's total revenue.

Sichuan has implemented comprehensive measures to enhance payment convenience for international visitors. In April last year, the TFU debuted the Overseas Visitors Payment Service Center, which is the most comprehensively equipped centralized payment service zone at airports nationwide. With just a foreign passport, travelers can complete all formalities within the airport—from obtaining a Chinese SIM card to currency exchange—through a one-stop service. Chengdu has established an extensive foreign card payment network with 65,000 merchants accepting international cards, 5,086 ATMs, and 1,303 bank branches supporting foreign card withdrawals and offering RMB exchange services.

Tourism Resources of Five Provinces and Cities Integrated

Enabling In-depth Tours for Overseas Tourists

This year, Chengdu has declared its ambition to become "the preferred destination for international travelers", comprehensively upgrading its end-to-end tourism services spanning dining, accommodation, transportation, attractions, shopping, and entertainment.

According to a leading official from the Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Culture, Broadcast-TV, and Tourism, Chengdu now supports 21 international e-wallets for direct payments, becomes the nation's first to accept overseas card taps for bus fares, and has equipped 167 metro stations with translation devices, implemented multilingual guidance systems across all its A-class tourist attractions, airports, and metro transit hubs, and launched online ticket platforms accessible to international tourists covering all major tourist sites.

Streamlined services turn layover tourists into repeat visitors. Emre, a Turkish airline captain with years of global flight experience, has visited Chengdu multiple times on his international routes. Every visit, he makes sure to stroll through Chengdu's streets. "I scan QR codes to rent bikes and explore the city, and I've taken the Jinjiang River night cruise. This city has such a laid-back vibe—it really helps me unwind," he said.

"Inbound tourist arrivals surged 93 percent year-on-year in the first half of the year," said Kang Zhi, Deputy General Manager of Sichuan China Travel Service, noting that inbound international travelers accounted for over 30 percent of their total tourist reception last year. To share the dividends of the visa-free transit policy, Chengdu has proposed developing the "Free City-Experience Program" for international transit passengers, increasing transportation connections with key domestic city clusters, and pioneering the establishment of a tourism development alliance of western cities. Recently, Sichuan partnered with Chongqing, Shaanxi, Yunnan, and Guizhou to launch ten premium summer tourism routes for international visitors, offering in-depth 240-hour cross-province journeys that showcase ecological marvels, millennia-old cultural heritage, authentic regional cuisine, and must-see attractions like Sichuan-Chongqing night markets and cyberpunk landmarks.

With Chengdu as the hub, western China's rich cultural and scenic assets are driving a rise in international visitors. "With high-speed rail connections across multiple western provinces, regions, and cities, coordinated regional tourism initiatives can create a multiplier effect to further boost inbound tourism," said the official from the Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Culture, Broadcast-TV, and Tourism.