A bird's-eye view of Wuxi Shuofang Airport. [Photo provided to en.wuxi.gov.cn]
A summer travel boom has lifted weekly passenger throughput at Wuxi Shuofang Airport to more than 15,000 for the first time, a nearly 40 percent year‑on‑year surge that local officials attribute in large part to a sharp rise in arrivals from South Korea, according to Wuxi Daily's report.
South Korean tourists are now leading all foreign nationalities using the airport, both in overall numbers and particularly under China's expanded visa‑free entry schemes. During the first half of this year, over 14,000 visitors entered Wuxi without a visa and South Korean travelers accounted for 55 percent of that total, making them by far the largest beneficiary of the streamlined border policies.
The continued easing of visa requirements has proven a decisive catalyst for inbound travel to the Yangtze River Delta region. Industry data show that more than half of all visa‑free entrants through Wuxi this year have been Korean passport holders, with many arriving for short‑term business negotiations or leisure sightseeing — the two primary purposes that together represent over 60 percent of all foreign arrivals.
The trend is reinforced by strong air connectivity. Wuxi airport now operates more than 120 international flights per week, and on July 17, the direct link to Hong Kong was further expanded with added frequencies.
To cope with the summer peak and maintain a seamless experience, immigration authorities have rolled out a package of operational improvements. These include real‑time peak‑hour forecasting, dynamic adjustment of inspection lanes, and staggered arrival reminders to help passengers avoid bottlenecks.
In addition, self‑service kiosks for foreign visitor arrival cards have been installed throughout the terminal, significantly cutting landing formalities and accelerating clearance.
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