Mainland Chinese Outbound Travel Rises 7.5 Percent in Q3 2026
China's National Immigration Administration reported 48.5 million outbound trips by mainland residents in the third quarter, with Hong Kong and Macau leading as primary destinations.
Outbound Trips See Strong Growth
Mainland Chinese residents completed 48.5 million outbound trips during the third quarter of 2026, representing a 7.5 percent increase compared to the same period last year. These figures, released by China's National Immigration Administration on 20 October, cover the July-to-September period and measure individual trips rather than unique travellers.
The sustained growth underscores a continued recovery in international and regional travel from mainland China, providing a crucial indicator for the global travel industry's ongoing rebalancing.
Regional Destinations Dominate Preferences
Hong Kong maintained its position as the top destination for mainland Chinese travellers in the third quarter, with Macau ranking second. Following these administrative regions, South Korea secured the third spot, ahead of Vietnam, Thailand, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Russia, and Indonesia.
Notably, five Southeast Asian nations featured prominently among the ten leading destinations, highlighting the strong appeal of regional travel within Asia for mainland Chinese residents. This geographic preference reflects established travel corridors and cultural ties across the region.
Broader Cross-Border Movements Increase
Beyond outbound trips, China's immigration authorities processed a total of 192 million entries and exits in the third quarter of 2026, marking a 7.9 percent rise year-on-year. Mainland residents accounted for 95.96 million of these movements, encompassing both arrivals and departures, which was up 7.4 percent.
Furthermore, residents from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan made 73.14 million border crossings during the quarter, showing a 6.4 percent increase. These comprehensive statistics from China's National Immigration Administration paint a picture of broad revitalisation in cross-border mobility.
Foreign Inbound Travel and Passport Issuance
Foreign nationals made 11.6 million inbound trips to mainland China during the third quarter, an increase of 15.6 percent. A significant portion of these arrivals benefited from visa-free policies, with 8.99 million visa-free entries recorded, surging by 24.1 percent and constituting 77.5 percent of all foreign arrivals.
This indicates a growing impact of simplified entry procedures on inbound tourism. Concurrently, China's National Immigration Administration reported the issuance of 5.34 million ordinary passports in the third quarter of 2026, suggesting a continued pipeline for future outbound travel.
Implications for Asian Travel Markets
The sustained growth in mainland Chinese outbound travel, particularly to regional hubs and Southeast Asian destinations, indicates a robust recovery for these markets. For Asian carriers, hospitality providers, and tour operators, this trend suggests continued strong demand for services connecting mainland China with its neighbours.
The substantial rise in visa-free entries for foreign nationals into mainland China also shows a strategic shift towards boosting inbound tourism, potentially creating new route development opportunities for airlines serving the Chinese market.
This data from China's National Immigration Administration offers clear indicators for travel patterns and investment in the Asian travel sector for the upcoming quarters.
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