Kunming Changshui International Airport, Yunnan’s gateway to South and Southeast Asia, handled more than 28 700 international passenger movements and over 250 flights during the Mid-Autumn holiday, according to the local border-inspection detachment. Inbound flows were dominated by travellers from Thailand, Vietnam and Laos drawn by visa-free entry and by Kunming’s growing reputation as a hub for nature and cultural tourism. Officials said the “China Travel” social-media campaign is resonating in the Mekong region, while student exchanges with universities in Yunnan are also rebounding. To cope with demand, the airport kept all 30 manual booths and 20 e-gates open around the clock, achieving an average immigration clearance time of 17 minutes. A temporary arrivals lounge offered free tea ceremonies and calligraphy workshops to showcase Yunnan heritage. For companies running regional supply chains, Kunming’s increasing connectivity—especially new cargo-passenger combi services to Bangkok and Hanoi—offers quicker access to China’s southwest manufacturing bases. Employers should remind staff that overland side trips to Laos via the China–Laos Railway require a fresh exit stamp even for short visits.
Source: Yunnan Net
