BEIJING, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) — French vacationer Stephane is on his third journey to China. This time, he introduced his daughter Mia, they usually had been exempt from making use of for a visa.
“I’ve been interested in Chinese culture since long ago, and the visa-free policy makes the trip very convenient,” mentioned Stephane because the pair strolled out of the Temple of Heaven.
China continued to ease its visa insurance policies in 2024 to spice up openness and people-to-people exchanges, permitting extra overseas vacationers and enterprise folks to go to the nation visa-free.
The newest knowledge proves that the relief of its visa insurance policies has delivered seen outcomes. The National Immigration Administration (NIA) mentioned on Tuesday that cross-border journeys made by foreigners surged 82.9 p.c from a yr in the past to 64.88 million in 2024.
More than 20 million inbound overseas journeys had been made visa-free, a year-on-year enhance of 112.3 p.c, in keeping with the NIA. BOON TO CHINA TRAVEL
In 2024, China launched a collection of latest visa-free entry and transit insurance policies, demonstrating its loyal dedication and dedication to opening up.
In November, China granted unilateral visa-free entry to vacationers from extra nations, including the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Japan to the checklist and lengthening stays to 30 days.
The following month, China prolonged the permitted keep for eligible overseas vacationers who transit to a 3rd nation or area to 240 hours. The designated ports and journey areas had been additionally considerably expanded, enhancing flexibility for worldwide guests.
So far, China has established complete mutual visa exemptions with 25 nations, applied unilateral visa-free insurance policies for 38 nations, and transit visa-free insurance policies for 54 nations, together with Britain, the United States and Canada.
Thanks to those measures, the China Travel development, which began earlier in 2024, has been additional boosted.
Like many vacationers from nations removed from China, Stephane plans to have an extended keep in China. After Beijing, he’ll go to the traditional city Pingyao in Shanxi Province and Chongqing.
Visitors from neighboring nations, such because the ROK and Japan, have embraced the chance to go to China for brief journeys, contributing to a rising development of weekend getaways to locations like Shanghai and Qingdao in east China.
“This policy is excellent for young people,” mentioned one ROK vacationer visiting Shanghai. “Now we can head to China for a weekend after work on Fridays.”
A report launched by Chinese on-line journey company Ctrip exhibits that the amount of journey bookings from overseas vacationers to China throughout the upcoming Chinese New Year grew by 203 p.c in comparison with the identical interval final yr. UPGRADED TRAVEL EXPERIENCE
“Why not?” Stephane answered when requested why he would come to China.
“I like the culture, the food, the glamorous cities, and the nice scenery in the countryside,” he mentioned. “Most importantly, everything is very easy, though I know only a few Chinese words.”
Stephane and his daughter traveled by themselves, reserving lodges and tickets on-line and making funds utilizing WeChat on his cellphone.
The nice expertise shared by many worldwide vacationers is especially on account of varied measures launched by nationwide and native authorities to enhance comfort for foreigners, as fee, transportation and tourism facilitation are being upgraded repeatedly.
One-stop service counters have gone operational not too long ago within the worldwide arrival areas of the Beijing Capital International Airport and the Beijing Daxing International Airport, providing over 20 kinds of important companies in areas corresponding to finance, communication, transportation, tradition and tourism.
Foreign vacationers can go to the counters to make money withdrawals with their financial institution playing cards, get assist with downloading native cellular fee apps and customise journey itineraries.
China’s tourism sector has additionally optimized its provide of merchandise to embrace the chance. Beijing has offered new tourism choices, corresponding to strolling and biking alongside the Central Axis, and lantern competition actions, attracting quite a few foreigners.
Chinese journey company CYTS International Travel Co., Ltd. now provides Tai Chi classes, cooking lessons, and strolling excursions in cultural areas. COST-EFFECTIVE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
The coverage adjustments are usually not simply drawing vacationers but in addition enterprise vacationers. Merchants in cities like Yiwu, dwelling to one of many world’s largest wholesale markets, have witnessed an increase in face-to-face conferences with worldwide purchasers.
Merchant Lyu Xulian famous a gentle enhance in overseas purchasers because the implementation of the 144-hour transit visa exemption coverage in 2023. The visa-free coverage in early November for 9 extra nations has additional lowered boundaries to worldwide enterprise.
For many consumers, the visa-free coverage reduces prices and saves time, making in-person commerce offers extra interesting.
“Over 80 percent of in-store clients place orders on the spot after seeing our products and operations first-hand,” mentioned Jin Qi, one other Yiwu-based dealer.
The prolonged 240-hour transit visa exemption is anticipated to draw extra enterprise guests to cities like Yiwu. Local governments are already taking motion to leverage the coverage to grab enterprise alternatives.