BEIJING – China has introduced a policy allowing visa-free entry for foreign tourist groups arriving aboard cruise ships at all cruise ports along its coastline.
The move was enforced on Wednesday and builds upon the previous pro-tourism measures of the government to attract more tourists.
Under the new regulations outlined by the National Immigration Administration (NIA), tourist groups comprising two or more foreigners, organized or hosted by Chinese travel agencies, are eligible for visa-free entry.
This visa-free entry liberty extends to cruise ports across 13 Chinese cities, including major hubs such as Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangzhou, and Sanya.
According to an official statement from the NIA, foreign tourists entering China via cruise ships can stay for a maximum of 15 days.
As far as the permissions are concerned for the visitors, they are permitted to explore coastal provinces, municipalities, autonomous regions, and even Beijing during the visit.
The NIA has designated seven additional cruise ports, including Dalian, Lianyungang, Wenzhou, and others, as visa-free transit ports for nationals hailing from 54 countries. This move aims to facilitate worry-free transit and departure procedures for foreign travelers so that they can come in large numbers and support the economy.
In light of these developments, Mao Xu, a senior official at the NIA, emphasized the implementation of various measures to streamline cruise entry and exit processes.
China has introduced a series of measures in recent weeks to facilitate the entry of tourists. In March this year, the country announced to expand its 15-day visa-free entry policy to six additional European countries which include Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, and Luxembourg.
As per the announcement, ordinary passport holders from the above-mentioned countries can enter China without a visa for purposes such as business, tourism, visiting relatives and friends, and transit; the offer is valid between March 14th and November 30th this year.
Besides, China has also signed a visa-free agreement with Thailand on a permanent basis from March this year. China imposed one of the most strict social distancing protocols during COVID-19 but started lifting the restrictions in January last year. Ever since the country has promoted visa-free entry and relaxation of rules for tourists to visit the country and boost its economy.
