China Expects 2.2M Daily Border Trips for Dragon Boat Fest

China’s border crossings are expected to handle an average of 2.2 million daily entry-exit passengers during the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival holiday, according to the National Immigration Administration (NIA). The figure represents an 11.7% increase compared to the same holiday period in 2025, signaling continued momentum in cross-border travel recovery.

The NIA projects that the single-day peak will exceed 2.35 million passengers, with major airports and land ports across the country preparing for significant surges in traffic.

Strong Growth Amid Moderating Pace

This year’s forecast continues a multi-year trend of rising travel volumes. In 2024, the NIA predicted 1.75 million daily crossings during the Dragon Boat Festival, which ultimately reached 1.917 million per day in actual figures. The 2025 forecast stood at 2.15 million daily passengers, reflecting a 12.2% year-on-year increase. While the growth rate has moderated from the post-pandemic surge of +32.5% in 2024 to +11.7% in 2026, the absolute numbers continue to climb, indicating a maturing but still expanding travel market.

Airport and Land Port Breakdown

According to the NIA’s detailed projections, major international airports will see steady increases in outbound and inbound traffic. Shanghai Pudong International Airport is expected to handle 104,000 daily passengers, followed by Beijing Capital and Guangzhou Baiyun at 52,000 each. Shenzhen Bao’an is forecast at 21,000, while Beijing Daxing and Chengdu Tianfu are projected at 19,000 and 17,000 respectively.

However, the most dramatic volumes are expected at land ports connecting mainland China with Hong Kong and Macau. The NIA noted that multiple dragon boat races and large events across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area will drive significant cross-border movement, with tourism and family reunion travel compounding the flow.

On the Shenzhen-Hong Kong border, Luohu port is forecast to handle 260,000 daily passengers, Futian 240,000, and Shenzhen Bay 200,000. The Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong High Speed Rail’s West Kowloon station is expected to see 130,000 daily passengers. On the Zhuhai-Macau side, Gongbei port leads with 370,000 daily passengers, followed by the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge at 122,000, Qingmao at 115,000, and Hengqin at 105,000.

Government Preparedness Measures

The NIA has outlined comprehensive preparations for the holiday period, as reported by CCTV. Border inspection agencies have been instructed to strengthen entry-exit flow monitoring, conduct in-depth analysis of traffic trends, and issue timely peak congestion warnings to assist travelers in planning their journeys.

Authorities will deploy sufficient inspection channels and enhance on-site guidance to ensure smooth passage for both Chinese and foreign travelers. The NIA is also coordinating with joint inspection units at ports to manage peak-hour demand and has included contingency planning for extreme weather, with heavy rainfall mentioned as a potential concern during the early summer period.

Travel Advisory

The NIA has reminded all travelers to check port traffic conditions and clearance status before departing, and to verify the validity of their entry-exit documents and visas. Chinese citizens traveling abroad are advised to research the security situation and entry policies of their destinations and to avoid regions with health risks, including areas affected by Ebola virus disease, as China News Service reported.

Travelers encountering difficulties during clearance can contact the NIA’s 12367 service hotline or seek assistance from immigration officers on site.

Broader Implications

The sustained growth in cross-border travel — now entering its fourth year of post-pandemic expansion — signals robust consumer confidence and discretionary spending power among Chinese citizens. The concentration of traffic at Greater Bay Area ports underscores the deepening economic integration of Hong Kong, Macau, and mainland China, with the region’s interconnected transport infrastructure enabling seamless movement for millions of holiday travelers.

As the Dragon Boat Festival approaches, all eyes will be on whether actual figures meet or exceed the NIA’s projections, providing further evidence of the trajectory of China’s travel recovery.