Beijing, December 9 (NA) – China is prepared to significantly optimize its inbound tourism services and facilitate domestic travel over the next five years, as announced by Sun Yeli, Minister of Culture and Tourism.
The minister stated that during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), China will continue to work on improving the convenience of essential services such as visas, tax refunds, accommodation, and transportation for international visitors, reported the Argentine News Agency.
Strategy of Attraction and Simplification of Procedures
The country's strategy includes developing high-quality inbound tourist routes and products, creating specific consumption clusters for foreign tourists, and launching continuous promotional campaigns to attract global visitors.
China has already taken significant steps to simplify entry:
Visa Exemption: Mutual visa exemption agreements have been established with 29 countries, in addition to offering unilateral visa-free entry to citizens of 48 countries.
Expedited Transit: The total number of entry ports covered by the 240-hour visa-free transit policy has increased to 65, which streamlines travel for most international visitors.
Digital Innovation: As of November 20, a new online arrival card processing system is operational, allowing travelers to complete the process before boarding and use a QR code for their entry authorization.
Significant Results
China's continuously optimized travel policies have already yielded remarkable results in revitalizing international tourism and strengthening interpersonal exchanges.
In the third quarter of this year, 72.46 million foreigners visited China under its visa-free travel policies. This figure represents a year-on-year increase of 48.3% and accounts for 72.2% of the total entries by foreigners, according to data from the National Immigration Administration.
