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 accounted for nearly 3.33 million trips, the Xiamen-Jinmen "mini three links" ferry route — a direct shipping link between Xiamen and Jinmen — 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 stays to longer visits and repeat trips.

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.