Visa-free policy fuels China travel boom in 2024

As Christmas lights twinkle across east China's Shanghai, popular attractions like Xintiandi and the Bund are buzzing with an unmistakable presence—South Korean tourists.

From groups of young women posing in front of Cinderella's castle at Shanghai Disneyland to families visiting the festive markets, South Koreans are taking advantage of China's visa-free policy for ordinary passport holders from South Korea, effective on November 8.

Not only Shanghai, other cities in China have also witnessed a remarkable increase in South Korean visitors. Data from Chinese online travel agency Ctrip reveals that Shanghai, Qingdao, Beijing are witnessing a significant uptick in arrivals. The South Korean inbound tourist orders in Shanghai have surged by more than 180 percent year-on-year and more than 40 percent since November 8.

This wave of South Korean tourists is not an isolated phenomenon. China's updated visa-free policies have brought an influx of international visitors across the country, reshaping global travel trends in recent years.

Between January and November 2024, China recorded 29.2 million foreign visits, an impressive 86.2 percent year-on-year increase. Of these, 17.4 million benefited from visa-free entry, marking a 123.3 percent rise, according to the National Immigration Administration (NIA).

Expanding visa-free access

China's surge in inbound travel is largely attributed to its ongoing expansion of visa-free policies. Since July 2023, China has been actively optimizing its visa-free policies to create an open and welcoming environment for travelers.

The mutual visa exemption agreement with Georgia came into effect in May. By October, citizens of four additional countries, including Portugal and Greece, were granted visa-free access. China further extended its visa-exemption policy to nine more countries, including Bulgaria and Japan, effective from November 30 to the end of 2025.

The most recent updates to the country's visa-free transit policy came on December 17, extending the permitted stay for eligible foreign travelers from the initial 72 hours and subsequent 144 hours to 240 hours, or 10 days.

Effective immediately, eligible visitors can enter China without a visa through any of the 60 open ports across 24 provincial-level regions, provided their stay does not exceed 240 hours within the designated areas.

The previous 72/144-hour visa-free transit policy has gained immense popularity with a 132.9 percent year-on-year increase in such visits in 2024, with the latest 240-hour policy expected to broaden the scope for foreign travelers to explore China's diverse culture, history, and economic development.

Boosting economic growth and global ties

China's expanding visa-free network is part of its broader commitment to "high-level opening-up," a strategy emphasized at the Central Economic Work Conference in late December.

Speaking of the 240-hour visa-free transit policy, Chen Zhanming, vice dean of the School of Applied Economics at Renmin University of China, said the extended visa-free transit policy will improve ease of access for foreign visitors, whether for tourism, business, or family purposes.

"The growing influx of international tourists will create more opportunities for China's tourism and other industries, injecting new momentum into its economic growth," Chen said, adding that more foreign nationals experiencing Chinese culture will foster greater understanding and friendship between Chinese and foreign nationals, laying a more solid foundation for future.

Dai Bin, president of the China Tourism Academy, also anticipates a continued surge in foreign visitor numbers, benefiting the domestic tourism industry.

Besides, Dai noted the importance of high-quality travel experiences in making good use of the visa-free transit policy.

To let foreign tourists have better travel experience and encourage repeat visits, the local authorities across the country need to innovate promotional strategies and develop products tailored for foreign tourists, alongside improving logistics and service quality to make them feel at home, Dai concluded.