Editor’s note: Sign up for CNN’s “while in china” newsletter, which explores what you need to know about the rise of China and its impact on the world.
Hong Kong
CNN
—
China has signed an agreement with Thailand to permanently waive visa requirements for each other’s citizens starting in March, as Beijing seeks to lure back foreign tourists amid an economic downturn caused by years of self-isolation caused by the coronavirus. This is the latest in a series of attempts.
The reciprocal visa waiver scheme, announced by Thai Prime Minister Sureta Thabisin on Tuesday, comes after Thailand waived visas for Chinese tourists in September until February this year.
China’s Foreign Ministry said reciprocal visa exemption between China and Thailand “serves the fundamental interests of both peoples.”
“Government departments in charge of this matter are in close communication on details. We look forward to early implementation of the agreement,” ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a regular press conference on Tuesday.
China is the world’s second-largest economy, a global manufacturing powerhouse, and a vast country with a dizzying geography, rich culture, and history, making it an extremely valuable place for tourists to explore. It has become. However, it is not the easiest country to travel to.
Self-isolation periods, labyrinthine visa rules, internet regulations banning ubiquitous online tools like Google Maps, and, most recently, a monopoly on China’s highly successful but far from foreign-friendly electronic payment apps. has long proven to be a barrier to smooth travel.
China’s borders have been closed for most of three years during the Covid-19 pandemic. But Beijing now appears to be hoping to get tourists back.
The agreement with Thailand builds on an existing visa-free program that China offers to six countries to encourage foreign tourism as China’s economy struggles to recover.
In November, China announced a pilot program that would allow visitors from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia to enter the country visa-free for 15 days.
00:55 – Source: CNN
Related video: How to make and eat Peking duck
The policy, which began in December, is expected to continue for 12 months until the end of November this year.
The National Immigration Administration said on Monday that 118,000 travelers from these six countries entered China without visas under the new policy in December, without providing a breakdown by country.
According to the government, more than 77% of them were visiting for tourism, leisure or business activities.
According to the administration, visa-free entry accounted for 55% of the total number of people entering China from the six countries, an increase of nearly 30% from November.
The actual effect of this policy remains to be seen, as tourists from far-flung countries such as Europe typically tend to plan their trips to China several months in advance. Winters are particularly cold in many parts of China, so it is usually not the peak tourist season.
China has also made it easier for American tourists to visit by simplifying the visa application process.
According to the Chinese Embassy in the United States, starting January 1, travelers from the United States will be required to submit supporting documents such as round-trip air tickets, hotel reservations, itineraries, and invitations when applying for tourist visas. There is no need to do so.
China is trying to attract more international tourists as part of a broader effort to boost its struggling economy, which faces a number of serious headwinds.
In August, Japan removed all pre-entry COVID-19 testing requirements for international travelers, provided business travelers with the option to obtain a visa on arrival, and exempted visitors from some countries from fingerprinting. did.
Last summer, WeChat and Alipay, China’s two major payment apps that have come to dominate daily life, finally allowed visitors to link their foreign credit cards, allowing them to book taxis, ride the subway, etc. , you can now pay at nearby restaurants, hotels, and stores. -Cashless country.
However, the return of international travelers to China has been slow and remains well below pre-pandemic levels.
According to data released by the National Immigration Bureau, the Chinese Immigration Bureau recorded a total of 8.4 million cases of foreigners entering and leaving the country in the first half of 2023, which is less than 30% of the number recorded in the same period in 2019. Ta.
The number of foreigners entering and leaving the country rose to 8 million in the third quarter of this year, but it remains at half the level of the same period in 2019.
Chinese travel agencies are seeing an even more alarming decline in foreign tourists.
According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Chinese travel agencies welcomed 477,800 foreign tourists in the first half of 2023, just 5.58% of the same period in 2019. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism has not released data since the second half of last year.