Plan a Thrilling Cruise Trip to China with the New Visa-Free Policy

Thursday, May 16, 2024

Plan your thrilling cruise trip to China with the new visa-free policy, allowing foreign tour groups to explore China without a visa for up to 15 days.

China is set to allow visa-free entry for foreign tour groups arriving by cruise ships, aiming to boost its struggling inbound travel market. Starting May 15, overseas tour groups can enter and stay in China without a visa for up to 15 days, as per the National Immigration Administration.

These groups can access 13 ports, including Shanghai, Qingdao, Dalian, and Haikou. They must be managed by domestic travel agencies and can visit coastal provinces and Beijing during their stay.

China hosts around 21 international cruise ships traveling to destinations like Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam. In 2023, there were 107,000 passenger trips via cruise ships in China.

This initiative follows several policies introduced since late last year to attract more international visitors. These include visa-free entry for travelers from certain European and Asian countries, such as Singapore. Additionally, China launched its first domestically made cruise ship in January, providing local tourists with more travel options in a familiar environment.

However, attracting overseas visitors might prove challenging due to China’s weakening economy and low travel demand. Recently, Australian airline Qantas suspended flights between Sydney and Shanghai, citing low demand and shifting focus to routes with higher interest like Singapore and Bengaluru, India.

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