China has made a swaggering, audacious play to accelerate the growth of its tourism industry. It only recently granted visa-free entry for a record 75 countries, most recently for Azerbaijan, with the announcement made on July 16. This initiative aims to attract more foreign visitors and stimulate the economy, particularly in the wake of the global pandemic. China is not alone in expanding its visa-free policy. This latest development is the first step in a broader strategy to re-open its borders and re-instate overseas travel.
In December 2022, the Chinese government announced visa-free entry for specific countries. Now, travelers from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia can travel to China without a visa. However, in July 2024, Australia became the first country to appear on that list. Now, its citizens are welcome to visit for up to 30 days. This policy is indicative of a broader strategy by China to deepen partnerships with countries that enjoy deep economic and people-to-people ties.
Overview of Visa-Free Policy Changes
China’s National Immigration Administration has announced a record jump in foreign tourists as a direct result of these policy shifts. By 2024, more than 20 million overseas tourists visited China visa-free. That extraordinary increase made up almost one-third of all arrivals and more than doubled arrivals from the same month the previous year. China’s transit policy can’t be understated in the boom of Chinese tourists either. It permits visa-free entry for citizens of 55 countries for short stays of no more than 10 days, provided that they are traveling to another port of call.
The United States is key to China’s long term success, accounting for nearly 30% of their existing outbound tourism market. At the same time, European travelers now represent 15-20% of nonconus visitors, a big increase from under 5% pre-pandemic. This policy change reflects the increasing interest by European nationals in travelling to China.
“This really helps people to travel because it is such a hassle to apply for a visa and go through the process,” – Øystein Sporsheim
The news of the expansion of the visa-free entry has been widely welcomed by tourists and tourism businesses. On the ground, countless industry insiders have suggested there’s never been more demand for travel services. For Gao Jun, a Beijing-based travel operator, it is great news that his business has been growing since the announcement.
“I’m practically overwhelmed with tours and struggling to keep up,” – Gao Jun
Impact on Tourism Sector
Unsurprisingly, the new visa policies are predicted to be a windfall for China’s travel industry. Jenny Zhao, managing director of boutique operator WildChina, agreed that her industry is up 50% over pre-Covid business at her firm. Tour operators nationwide have been preparing to welcome this dramatic increase in visitors.
Over a decade, China has built up such solid diplomatic relations with more than 40 countries that they are granted visa-free access. This close partnership has tremendously increased tourism. A handful of big countries are precluded from receiving the expanded 30-day visa-free entry. These are the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Sweden, Russia, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Indonesia, Canada, United States, and Mexico.
This policy shift demonstrates China’s strategic, calculated approach to building international relationships and making its tourism, culturally rich, historic offering more attractive. The absence of major African nations in the visa-free entry list raises questions about inclusivity and future developments in diplomatic ties.
Visitor Experiences and Perspectives
Foreign visitors have started posting videos to social media about their experiences arriving in China under the new visa rules. Georgi Shavadze, a Georgian residing in Austria, visited Beijing’s Temple of Heaven a few days ago. He had never experienced such convenience for a travel destination and he was ecstatic!
These new rules simplify the process of obtaining visas. This represents a very welcome and sharp contrast to pre-pandemic experiences in which receiving a visa was fraught with difficult obstacles. This easier travel process makes things better for tourists. It contributes to making China an ever more attractive place for foreign visitors.
“They don’t very often open, so it was much harder,” – Øystein Sporsheim
Although many travelers have reported favorable experiences, the Chinese government continues to struggle with the fallout from its diplomatic relations. Some nations are still sticking points. The 2020 jailing of Swedish bookseller Gui Minhai cast a pall on diplomatic relations between Sweden and China. The consequence was that Sweden got omitted from today’s visa-free list.
