Current location:sport >>
Friendly visa policies to help boost tourism
sport6622People have gathered around
IntroductionAs the global tourism industry continues to woo Chinese travelers, China is reciprocating the gestur ...
As the global tourism industry continues to woo Chinese travelers, China is reciprocating the gesture of goodwill by offering more friendly visa policies to attract overseas visitors and reignite inbound tourism, making it a strong driver for economic development.
Last week, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin announced that Thailand will permanently waive visa requirements for Chinese visitors starting on March 1. The Southeast Asian country had previously granted a temporary visa waiver for visitors from China, which is set to expire on Feb 29.
Soon after the announcement, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said the mutual exemption of visas between China and Thailand will serve the fundamental interest of both peoples once implemented.
Related government departments are in close communication on the matter, and China is looking forward to the early implementation of the policy, he said at a regular news conference last week.
This is not the first time China has made a friendly gesture to attract international travelers. The nation resumed visa-free entry for visitors from Singapore holding ordinary passports on July 26, after its suspension in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Dec 1, China started allowing visitors from Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia to enter the country without a visa. A total of 214,000 visits from these six nations were recorded as of Dec 31, up 28.5 percent compared with the previous month, according to the National Immigration Administration.
Among these visits, 118,000 individuals entered China visa-free using ordinary passports, accounting for 55.1 percent of the total trips made by individuals from the six countries during the same period, data from the administration showed.
Yang Jinsong, director of the International Institute at the China Tourism Academy, said that China's visa-free policy has demonstrated its well-intentioned attitude toward international travelers, and has also given tourism operators a confidence boost.
"The inbound tourism market will recover to the level of 2019... or even better than 2019. The visa-free policy is a boost, and we have to improve our services and market regulations to guarantee safe and happy experiences for international travelers coming to China," Yang added.
After Thailand upgraded its visa policy for Chinese visitors, searches and bookings for various destinations in that country surged on travel portals.
Online travel agency LY.com said that searches for tour services to Thailand made by its users increased 158 percent within half an hour of the announcement on Jan 2, compared with the same time the previous day.
Yang said that Thailand's move showed its "great determination to win back Chinese travelers", as its previous efforts fell short of the expectations.
Although Thailand is recognized as one of the top choices for Chinese travelers, the country has had to redouble its efforts in the face of stiff competition from other Southeast Asian nations, such as Singapore and Indonesia, which offered friendly visa policies to Chinese visitors last year, he said.
Chinese visitors are an irreplaceable source of tourism revenue for Thailand and many other countries, industry insiders said.
According to Thailand's Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the country received 3.35 million Chinese travelers as of Dec 20, and the total number for the whole of 2023 is expected to reach 3.5 million.
Fan Dongxiao, travel portal Tuniu's director of short-distance outbound travels, said they expect a surge in visits to Thailand during the Chinese winter holiday period, and "are confident of the performance of outbound tourism market to Thailand once the visa-free policy is implemented".
Tags:
Reprint:Friends are welcome to share on the Internet, but please indicate the source of the article when reprinting it.“International Inklings news portal”。http://saintkittsandnevis.majalahburung.com/html-38a599886.html
Related articles
Deepfake of principal's voice is the latest case of AI being used for harm
sportThe most recent criminal case involving artificial intelligence emerged last week from a Maryland hi ...
【sport】
Read moreShaolin Kung Fu competition enthralls martial arts enthusiasts in Oceania
sportA participant demonstrates Kung Fu during the 2023 Oceania Shaolin Games held in Sydney, Australia, ...
【sport】
Read moreRemoving barriers good for US, China
sportWhen U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen dined at one of the oldest Cantonese restaurants Taotaoju ...
【sport】
Read more
Popular articles
- Goldman Sachs upbeat on A shares
- A's rally from 5 runs down, beat Nats 7
- New farmers sow seeds of hope for modern farming
- World's first Zootopia land opens at Shanghai Disney Resort
- 'Flying Apsaras' takes flight in Beijing, set for nationwide tour
- Interview: Zheng Qinwen: Keep my eyes on the sky and feet on the ground
Latest articles
50 migrants reported missing and 9 rescued after their boat overturns off Spanish Atlantic island
Another ankle injury rules Dortmund forward Haller out of Champions League match against Atlético
Chase Elliott drives backward after Texas win that could get him going in the right direction again
Highlights of beach volleyball match at 19th Asian Games
China ready to strengthen high
Int'l photo festival brings fusion of tradition and modernity to China town
LINKS
- Xi Jinping arrives in Hong Kong for July 1 celebrations, makes first visit to city since 2017
- Revealed: The pernickety passport rules Brits NEED to know before the Easter getaway
- Globetrotting couple share stunning photos from visits to 75 countries
- A whale of a time
- Flight steward leaves passengers in stitches with hilarious pre
- Revealed: The best 100 cities in the world for exploring by foot, with Rome No.1, London ninth
- Was the Budget too little, too late
- I took a flight from Bristol to Edinburgh instead of getting the train
- Video tour of Gatwick's futuristic electric vehicle charging station
- Top scientist warns AI could surpass human intelligence by 2027