A tourist is interviewed by reporters at the Yiwu International Trade Market in Yiwu, Zhejiang province, on Jan 15. [Photo by Shi Bufa for chinadaily.com.cn]

East China's Zhejiang province is projected to see over 7 million cross-border travelers in 2025, with Hangzhou International Airport alone expected to handle more than 5 million, provincial officials announced at a news conference on Jan 21.

In 2024, the province recorded 400,500 foreign arrivals, predominantly from South Korea and Southeast Asia for tourism and business. Outbound travel by Chinese mainland residents reached 2.43 million, with Japan, South Korea, and Southeast Asia as the top destinations.

Also in 2024, Zhejiang processed 79,300 stay and residence permits for foreign nationals, along with 13,900 visa extensions, replacements, or reissuances — year-on-year increases of 35 percent and 14.5 percent, respectively.

The upcoming Spring Festival travel rush is set to bring a surge in passenger volume, with an estimated 160,000 travelers passing through Zhejiang airports. Hangzhou International Airport expects 136,000 passengers, while Ningbo Lishe and Wenzhou Longwan international airports anticipate 16,000 and 8,000, respectively.