China-Vietnam border tourism zone sees visitor surge

Dhaka: China’s first cross-border tourism cooperation zone with Vietnam has recorded strong growth in visitor numbers, supported by faster immigration procedures and expanded joint tourism services.

The Detian-Ban Gioc Waterfall cooperation zone in China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region welcomed 54,450 tourists between January and September 2026, marking a 40.4 percent increase from the same period last year. Daily arrivals reached a record 1,272.

Since trial operations began in September 2023, the zone has processed nearly 160,000 cross-border visits without reported errors or incidents, according to local officials.

The initiative allows visitors to explore attractions in both countries in a single day. Operators have introduced integrated ticketing and online booking services, while authorities in China and Vietnam coordinate border management and visitor safety.

Facial recognition-based permit processing, advance luggage declarations and centralized inspections have helped reduce clearance times to around 20 seconds. Some procedures, including fingerprint collection and passport stamping for foreign tourists, have also been waived.

Beyond tourism, the project is supporting cultural exchanges and local businesses. Cross-border events attracted more than 100,000 participants in 2026, while increased visitor spending has benefited hotels, restaurants, cultural product sellers and rural enterprises.

Officials are also promoting the destination in Southeast Asian markets, including Vietnam and Thailand.

Caption: Vietnamese and Chinese tourist rafts on the waters in front of the Thac Ban Gioc or Ban Gioc falls, located on the Vietnam-China land border area in Trung Khanh district, Vietnam's northern province of Cao Bang