The Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism announced on September 17th that Xiamen welcomed 2.076 million domestic and international tourists during the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday (September 15th-17th), generating tourism revenue of 2.84 billion yuan, including 38,000 overnight visitors, a year-on-year increase of 220%. Industry analysts believe that Xiamen's top spot in trending searches for "Fujian Xiamen Tourism" is directly related to the recently implemented 240-hour transit visa-free policy.
(I) Visa-free Friend Circle Expands, Cruise Ships and Airplanes Dual-Direction
CCTV reported that Xiamen and Longyan have launched 10 "240-Hour Visa-Free" routes. Cruise lines use Xiamen as their home port, allowing foreign tourists to first visit Gulangyu Island and then fly to Beijing or Xi'an. During the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, the Xiamen Cruise Center berthed four international cruise ships, bringing in 11,000 foreign tourists, a fourfold year-on-year increase, becoming a traffic gateway for "Fujian Xiamen Tourism."
(II) Inbound Tourist Profile: Southeast Asia accounts for 48%, with golf and tea culture being the most popular.
Xia Travel International statistics show that visa-free tourists primarily come from Singapore, Malaysia, and South Korea. To cater to the preferences of South Korean tourists, travel agencies have added five dedicated golf routes. Japanese tourists favor tea culture, and tour guides are required to receive Wuyi Rock Tea training. Multilingual service has boosted the positive rating of "Fujian Xiamen Tourism" to 96%.
(III) New Mid-Autumn Festival Activities: Gulangyu "Moonlight Concert" + Wuyuan Bay "Sunset Sailing"
The Gulangyu Piano Museum hosted the "Bright Moon Rising from the Sea" concert for three consecutive nights, with a limit of 300 visitors, and tickets sold out in one minute. Wuyuan Bay Sailing Port launched the "Sunset Route," offering a Golden Rooster Awards-themed light show on board, resulting in a 180% increase in Mid-Autumn Festival bookings. The official "Fujian Xiamen Tourism" mini-program shows a 42% repurchase rate for sailing experiences, ranking first among coastal cities nationwide.
(IV) Digital RMB Red Envelopes + Multilingual Customer Service Enhance Payment Convenience
The Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, in conjunction with the People's Bank of China, distributed 10 million yuan in digital RMB red envelopes, which foreign tourists could redeem with their passports. The red envelopes covered hotels, ride-hailing platforms, and cultural and creative stores. A customer service hotline in English, Japanese, and Korean was also launched to address payment, ride-hailing, and ticket refund issues. Ctrip Research Institute believes this move has made "Fujian Xiamen Tourism" one of the most payment-friendly cities for inbound tourism.
(V) Hotel Prices and Volume Rise, High-End B&Bs Hard to Find
The average hotel room rate in Xiamen during the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday increased by 25% year-on-year. High-end B&Bs such as "Gulangyu Nazhai" and "Zengcuo'an Yinshi" were fully booked for three consecutive days. The Bureau of Culture and Tourism anticipates that 12 international brand hotels will open before National Day, offering 3,000 rooms, ensuring continued growth in "Fujian Xiamen Tourism."