Officials from the National Immigration Administration (NIA) reported on Monday that China has stepped up its efforts to facilitate the entry of foreign nationals, and they have observed favourable outcomes. This is in response to the nation's growing receptivity to the international community.
Liu Haitao, a senior official of the NIA, told reporters during a State Council Information Office press conference that foreign nationals entered 17.254 million domestic ports from January to July, a 129.9 percent increase from the previous year. The number of port visas issued increased by 182.9 percent, reaching 846,000.
Officials and industry analysts attributed the growth to policy measures like the 144-hour visa-free transit policy, which simplify travel for foreigners. According to specialists, the proliferation of new policy benefits will result in an increase in the number of foreigners visiting China for work, study, or travel.
"Visa facilitation was the primary factor contributing to the substantial increase in inbound visitors from January to July." Furthermore, Zhang Lingyun, executive editor-in-chief of Tourism Tribune magazine, stated to the Global Times on Monday that China's appeal to foreign tourists is continually increasing due to its vast territory, abundant natural and cultural resources, and policy support. He also noted that China is a safer travel destination than certain other countries and regions.
Zhang also attributed the considerable increase in inbound tourism to ongoing policy optimization, which demonstrates China's confidence and determination in its external expansion.
The expert specifically mentioned the advancements in visa issuance, visa-free transit policies, border crossing procedures, and payment facilitation. In recent years, the NIA has collaborated with relevant departments to broaden the list of visa-free countries and implement measures to simplify the process of obtaining a visa for foreign visitors to China.
Liu emphasised the 144-hour visa-free transit policy, which is currently applicable to 54 countries and 37 ports. This is indicative of the high level of development and opening-up in China's immigration management services.
The policy permits citizens of 54 countries, including the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, who enter China through the designated entry ports and possess valid international travel documents and connecting tickets to a third country within 144 hours, to occupy designated areas for the purpose of tourism, business, or visiting relatives.
Liu stated that the visa-free transit policy, which has continued to demonstrate its benefits this year, has become a "policy hallmark" and "key to attracting tourists" in China's ongoing process of liberalisation.
Furthermore, the NIA has implemented a variety of new policies, such as the 144-hour visa-free entry for foreign tour groups from Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions into South China's Guangdong Province, the 144-hour visa-free entry for tour groups from ASEAN countries into Guilin, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the 30-day visa-free entry for nationals from 59 countries into South China's Hainan Province, and the 15-day visa-free entry for foreign tour groups arriving by cruise ships in coastal provinces.
Foreign tour groups from Hong Kong and Macao can now enter Hainan without a visa for a period of 144 hours thanks to an expansion of the policy. This extension will benefit over 5.9 million foreign visitors, according to the NIA. The NIA has further relaxed the conditions for visa applications at domestic ports. Liu stated that foreign nationals who require port visas for business, visits, or other purposes are now able to submit applications at 100 visa offices located in 73 cities.
The combined effect of these policies has significantly impacted the inbound tourism market due to the rapid increase in foreign visitors to China.
In 2023, the average daily expenditure of foreign visitors in China was 3,459 yuan ($484.43), as reported by the National Bureau of Statistics. This expenditure directly increased consumption by more than 100 billion yuan.
Yang Jinsong, a senior expert with the China Tourism Academy, informed the Global Times on Monday that the government's commitment to the development of the inbound tourism industry, which is still in the process of recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, is closely linked to the increase in inbound travel.
Yang stated that the continuous improvement in tourism and the people-to-people exchanges between Hong Kong and Macao are bolstering the Chinese mainland's integrated development. This suggests that a substantial proportion of inbound tourists originate from the two special administrative regions.
Experts predict that the impact of the policies will become more noticeable in the second half of the year as more benefits become available, despite potential delays in policy implementation.
Yang predicts that the inbound tourism market will continue to grow in the second half of the year, possibly hitting new highs since the pandemic.
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