China expects cross-border travel surge during May Day holiday

BEIJING -- China is set to see a surge in cross-border travel during the upcoming May Day holiday, with daily inbound and outbound passenger flows expected to average 2.25 million and peak at more than 2.4 million in a single day, the National Immigration Administration (NIA) said on Tuesday.

The five-day holiday, starting May 1, is one of the busiest travel periods of the year, driven by strong demand for tourism and family visits.

Major international airports are expected to see notable increases in passenger traffic. Average daily cross-border flows are projected to reach about 102,000 at Shanghai Pudong International Airport and 55,000 at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, according to the NIA.

Land ports bordering Hong Kong and Macao in South China are also expected to see heavy traffic. Daily passenger volumes are forecast to hit approximately 230,000 at Shenzhen's Luohu port. Zhuhai's Gongbei port and Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge port are projected to handle about 396,000 and 129,000 passengers daily, respectively.

Authorities said they will step up staffing and traffic management measures to ensure smooth and orderly border crossings during the peak travel period.