Lijiang airport sees visa issuance soar by 467%

A tourist-group visa is handled at northwest Yunnan’s Lijiang Sanyi International Airport.

Northwest Yunnan’s Lijiang Sanyi International Airport has seen the visa issuance soar by 467% in the past year. The monthly number of visas issued has surged from an initial 30 to the present 170, a staggering 467% increase.

Since the National Immigration Administration allowed the Lijiang Public Security Bureau to handle visa services at the airport, the bureau's exit-entry detachment has issued a total of 1,337 visas, serving 28,000 international travelers.

 

International travelers apply for a visa at northwest Yunnan’s Lijiang Sanyi International Airport.

From August 8, 2024, to August 7, 2025, Lijiang received 848,000 temporary international travelers, marking an 80% year-on-year growth.

Travelers from Malaysia, Vietnam, and Thailand accounted for over 48% of the total, highlighting Lijiang’s appeal to South and Southeast Asian nationals.

Reporting by He Qian (Yunnan Daily); Trans-editing by Wang Shixue