China’s fast-growing visa-free regime is expected to boost tourism.
Five additional European nations have joined Norway as visa-free entry points for China, which was extended to the country earlier in September.
Now that citizens of Cyprus, Denmark, Greece, Portugal, and Slovenia are exempt from the visa requirement for entry into the Asian country, there are eighteen European nations in all.
Beginning on October 15, visitors from these nations will be granted entry into China without a visa.
In July, tourists from Poland, Australia and New Zealand were also allowed to enter China without restrictions until the end of 2025.
The program will be rolled out in stages from the beginning of 2024, with European countries and Malaysia also being granted visa-free entry. It aims to promote business and tourism visits to China and to boost exchanges between Chinese and foreigners.
The full list of European countries includes Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland. Tourists from these countries will be allowed to enter China for short stays without a visa until the end of next year.
At a press conference on the initial announcement in November, Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said the aim was to “to facilitate the high-quality development of Chinese and foreign personnel exchanges and high-level opening up to the outside world.”
As part of a trial program, visa-free entry is permitted for up to 15 days.
International travel to China is still recovering
China’s strict pandemic prevention measures, including mandatory quarantine for all arrivals, deterred many people from traveling for almost three years. Restrictions were lifted early last year, but outbound travel has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels.
China previously allowed visa-free entry for nationals from Brunei, Japan and Singapore, but suspended this policy following the COVID-19 outbreak. Visa-free entry was resumed for Brunei and Singapore in July, but not for Japan.
According to immigration statistics, China recorded 35.5 million foreign nationals entering and leaving the country in 2023. That compares to 97.7 million in all of 2019, the last year before the pandemic.
The government has been seeking foreign investment to boost the struggling economy, and some business leaders, including Tesla’s Elon Musk and Apple’s Tim Cook, have been coming to trade shows and conferences. Foreign tourists remain a rare sight compared to before the pandemic.
How else is China making it easier for Europeans to travel?
European interest in China as a travel destination soared last year.
According to data from online travel agency Trip.com, total bookings from Europe to China increased by 663% compared to 2022 and nearly 29% compared to 2019. Data for travellers to China worldwide.
Shanghai, with its fascinating mix of modernity and tradition, remains the most popular destination for Europeans, followed by Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.
Sanya, a beach town on the southern tip of China’s Hainan island, and Chengdu, the capital of southwest China’s Sichuan province, are emerging as new destinations.
Beyond the new visa-free regime, the country continues to promote inbound tourists by partnering with Trip.com to promote its cultural and historical attractions. China is also working to improve its tourism infrastructure with investments in technology, guides and electronic payment systems.
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