(ECNS) -- China recorded 2.945 million inbound and outbound trips made by foreigners in the first two months of 2024, indicating strong recovery, according to the National Immigration Administration on Friday.

The figure marks a notable increase of 2.3 times compared to the previous period and a 41.5 percent recovery of the level prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thanks to the visa-free policy during the Spring Festival holiday, the number of foreign tourist from the six European countries, as well as Singapore and Malaysia saw a significant increase, said Shi Zeyi, deputy director of International Exchange and Cooperation Bureau, Ministry of Culture and Tourism at a press conference.

The total number of inbound bookings on some OTA platforms doubled compared to the same period in 2019.

About 10,000 tourists from Germany will visit China on cruise trips from February through April this year. The first international cruise ship docked in Shanghai in February 2024, marking the full resumption of international cruise business. The Zuiderdam was the first international cruise ship that docked in Dalian on March 15, carrying a total of 2,013 foreign tourists from 47 countries to the coastal city in northeast China. It was the first international cruise ship to visit a northern Chinese city since 2020, Shi added.

China will also further facilitate payment for foreign visitors and provide more products and services, Shi said.