International visitors get advice at Ningbo Lishe International Airport. [Photo/cnnb.com.cn]

This summer, Ningbo Lishe International Airport experienced a surge in international visitors, with foreign arrivals reaching a historic high.

On Aug 31, flight 9C8626 from Jeju Island, South Korea, marked the end of the summer travel season, wrapping up a hectic period for the airport.

According to the Ningbo airport border inspection station, over 200,000 travelers entered and exited through Ningbo airport from July 1 to Aug 31, a 5.1 percent increase year-on-year. Nearly 1,400 passenger flights were processed, up 3.7 percent from last year. Most notably, foreign arrivals exceeded 6,000 — an all-time high and a 43 percent jump compared with the previous summer.

The growth is said to be largely driven by China's expanding visa-free policies and upgraded entry procedures.

More than 12,000 foreign nationals entered or exited through Ningbo during the summer travel rush, with around 30 percent visiting for tourism or business purposes. Key source countries included Malaysia, Japan, India and Thailand.

Outbound travel also flourished, with over 84,000 Ningbo residents heading abroad — a 3.4 percent increase.

Popular destinations included Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, with family vacations and student study tours leading the trend.