Huangshan city, in East China's Anhui province, with beautiful scenery, rich cultural heritages and friendly international services, stands out as the preferred destination for overseas tourists to explore China following the implementation of the 240-hour visa-free transit policy.
Huangshan is rich in cultural and tourism resources, with 56 tourist attractions at national grade A and above, and is home to two UNESCO World Heritage sites, "Mount Huangshan and Hongcun and Xidi villages".
Huizhou Fish Lantern, as a provincial intangible cultural heritage item, was largely promoted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism during the recent Spring Festival holiday, driving tourism orders in Shexian county to surge by 458 percent year on year.
Huangshan boasts convenient transportation, being one of the five major high-speed rail hub cities in the Yangtze River Delta, with an average of 250 trains running daily. Huangshan Tunxi International Airport has 25 operating routes, including five international routes, serving 28 cities.
In December 2024, Tunxi airport was newly designated as a 240-hour visa-free transit port, benefiting tourists from 54 countries.
In April 2024, in collaboration with Chinese technology company Ant Group, Mount Huangshan Scenic Area launched the first international visitor friendly scenic spot program. The scenic area has achieved payment convenience throughout the entire chain, from ticket booking to hotel accommodation, dining, and shopping, greatly enhancing the satisfaction of international tourists.
Across the city, 60 foreign exchange points and 302 foreign card ATMs are scattered in core scenic areas, with Tunxi Old Street becoming the first overseas payment service business area in Anhui. As a mainstream mobile payment method operated by Ant Group, Alipay's scan-to-pay service covers major dining, accommodation, transportation, shopping, and entertainment scenes, providing international tourists with an extremely convenient payment experience.
"With just a mobile phone, you can pay, guide, translate, and more. It's so convenient!" said Ahmed Jabar, a young man from Iraq. "After experiencing using Alipay for shopping and payments, I recommend more friends come to Huangshan to experience the beauty of China."
Jabar experiences Alipay in Huangshan. [Photo/Mount Huangshan Scenic Area]
The Guest-Greeting Pine in Mount Huangshan. [Photo/Mount Huangshan Scenic Area]