China-Singapore visa-free era boosts two-way tourism

Editor's note: Yu Hong, a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, is a Senior Research Fellow of the East Asian Institute, National University of Singapore.The article reflects the author's views, and not necessarily those of CGTN.

On February 9, the agreement between China and Singapore regarding mutual visa exemption for holders of ordinary passports came into effect. With the implementation of the "mutual visa exemption" policy, two-way travel between China and Singapore has become easier.

Singapore has always been one of the most popular outbound destinations for Chinese citizens, and the visa waiver policy between the two countries is conducive to the development of tourism on both sides. The implementation of the visa-free measures will further strengthen Singapore's status as an international tourist city, and play an important role in Singapore's service economy. The visa-free era will also promote people-to-people cultural exchanges, which will play an important role in the long-term friendship and mutual understanding between China and Singapore.

First of all, Singapore has a convenient and efficient transportation system as a regional transport hub. Singapore's Changi Airport is one of the busiest aviation hubs in Asia, and Chinese tourists can easily reach Singapore by different flights. With the surge in demand for two-way travel between Singapore and China, airlines will operate between the two countries at a much higher frequency than before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Furthermore, as an international tourist city located in Asia, Singapore has abundant tourism resources and unique cultural exchanges. Singapore is home to world-renowned attractions such as Sentosa Island and Gardens by the Bay, among others, which are attractive to Chinese tourists. Given the constraint of its relatively limited land area, Singapore continues to develop tourism content. Gardens by the Bay is one of Singapore's most iconic tourist attractions, as well as the newly completed Singapore Bird Park at World of Wildlife.

In order to attract more Chinese tourists, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has been actively engaged in marketing and promotional activities and has partnered with China's tourism agencies to enhance the visibility and influence of Singapore's tourism in the Chinese market through brand promotion.

Singapore also participates in travel exhibitions held in China to showcase its tourism resources and services to further attract Chinese tourists. In addition, the STB signed a two-year strategic cooperation memorandum with UnionPay International in November 2023, to create a more convenient payment environment for inbound Chinese tourists.

Chinese tourists' interest has gradually been shifting to local culture over the past few years, and there is an increasing demand for new products related to the integration of culture and tourism.

Recognizing the changing needs of Chinese tourists, the STB launched new travel initiatives in 2023 to enhance the leisure travel experience as well as new or upgraded attractions. In November 2023, the STB also launched a series of creative travel schemes, including immersive experiences with forest bathing and naturopathy, and city walks to experience food sustainability. These new initiatives allow visitors to experience the multi-racial and multicultural atmosphere of Singapore.

In response to the new travel demands and preferences of some tourists, Singapore is attracting overseas tourists to Singapore by hosting high-profile international events, such as music festivals and sporting events. Taylor Swift's concerts held in Singapore also effectively boosted the local economy recently.

Moreover, Singapore is in a good state of law and order. Singapore's renowned legal system protects the legitimate rights and interests of tourists and punishes acts that infringe on their rights and interests, which provides Chinese tourists with the guarantee of peace of mind to travel to Singapore.

China can learn from Singapore's experience in developing tourism and attracting foreign tourists. First, China's tourism authorities and enterprises can promote Chinese tourist attractions and cultural and natural scenery by expanding cooperation with local tourism operators and hosting exhibitions and promotional roadshows overseas.

Secondly, according to the travel preferences of foreign tourists and the characteristics of specific tourism groups, different tourism routes and tourism packages should be designed to attract overseas tourists to visit China. Third, more convenient services can be provided for foreign tourists traveling to China, such as the simplified visa application and more payment methods. The recent introduction of immigration facilitation measures by the Chinese authorities willsurely help attract more foreigners to visit China.

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