China Expands Visa-Free Policy, Sparking Travel Surge

China's recent expansion of its visa-free policy has generated significant interest from various countries. Local media outlets have reported a surge in inquiries and searches for travel to China, with Chinese destinations rising to the top of travel platform searches.

The policy expansion, announced on Friday, aims to facilitate personnel exchanges between China and other countries. From November 30, 2024, to December 31, 2025, visa exemption will be applied on a trial basis to ordinary passport holders from Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, and Japan.

This addition expands China's unilateral visa-free policy from 29 to 38 countries. Media outlets and citizens in the newly included countries have expressed excitement about the opportunity to visit China and experience its high-speed trains and metropolitan cities.

Following the announcement, travel platforms witnessed a significant increase in searches for Chinese cities. Trip.com's international platforms saw a 65% surge on its European site and a 112% increase on its Japanese site within 30 minutes. Interest in direct flights from Japan to China also spiked notably.

The ease of visa policies has already shown positive results. China's National Immigration Administration reported a 78.8% year-on-year increase in inbound trips in the first three quarters of this year, reaching 94.63 million.

South Korea, which implemented a visa-free policy for Chinese citizens in November 2023, has also seen a significant boost in travel demand. Bookings for travel to China increased by 75% within three weeks of the policy's implementation, with some travel products experiencing growth rates exceeding 100%.

Experts believe that China's visa-free policies will make it easier for foreign tourists to explore and understand the country, promoting independent and immersive travel experiences. This will help more people discover a diverse and authentic China.

The expansion of the visa-free policy is a positive step towards promoting people-to-people exchanges and fostering understanding between China and other countries. As the saying goes, "seeing is believing," and these policies will allow more people to experience China firsthand.