Xiamen Port handles more than 5 million inbound and outbound passenger trips by Oct 6, up 10 percent year-on-year. [Photo/Xiamen Daily]

Xiamen Port handled more than 5 million inbound and outbound passenger trips by Oct 6, up 10 percent year-on-year and hitting this milestone 25 days earlier than last year — the fastest pace on record.

Xiamen Airport traffic accounted for nearly 3.33 million trips, the Xiamen-Kinmen "mini three links" ferry route — a direct shipping link between Xiamen and Kinmen — saw close to 1.62 million, and international cruise passengers exceeded 50,000.

International visitor numbers hit a new high for the same period, with nearly 900,000 trips recorded, up nearly 15 percent year-on-year. Malaysian travelers topped the list, followed by those from Singapore, South Korea, Indonesia, and Australia.

Visa-free and transit arrivals made up 60 percent of all foreign entries, driving much of the growth, while more than 160,000 travelers enjoyed 24-hour direct transit convenience.

Thanks to visa-free policies, relaxed residence and stay rules, and pilot programs for an internationalized consumer environment, foreign visitors' travel patterns are shifting from short-stop visitors to longer-stay, repeat travelers.

Port services and city tourism are working to make longer stays easier. A one-stop service for the 240-hour entry permit, online arrival card filing with a 99 percent completion rate, and seamless international transfers from 18 domestic departure points are all improving foreign travelers' experiences.

Cross-Strait exchanges are also heating up, with Xiamen's border inspection station having processed nearly 2 million passenger trips on direct flights and the "mini three links" route by Oct 6, up more than 25 percent year-on-year, with over 200,000 Taiwan travelers using automated border clearance and more than 6,600 ferry trips.