Chongqing - China recently announced the expansion of its visa-free entry policy, extending eligibility to nine additional countries. This strategic move reinforces China's position as an attractive destination for international travelers and highlights Chongqing's rising prominence as a favored "first stop" for visitors.

Travelers at the international flight counter at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport. (Photo/Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport)

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, starting from November 8, 2024, citizens holding ordinary passports from Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Andorra, Monaco, Liechtenstein, and South Korea will be eligible for visa-free entry into China on a trial basis. This policy, effective until December 31, 2025, allows travelers from these countries to visit for business, tourism, family visits, and transit for up to 15 days without a visa.

Data from the National Immigration Administration underscores the surge in foreign arrivals: in the third quarter of 2024 alone, 8.19 million foreign nationals entered China's borders, marking a 48.8% increase year-on-year. Notably, 4.89 million of these arrivals were through visa-free access, representing a 78.6% growth.

"In the first half of this year, our platform saw inbound tour orders increase nearly twofold year-on-year. Chengdu, Chongqing, Hangzhou, and Xi'an are increasingly popular entry points for international tourists. Specifically, areas like Chongqing's Dazu District and Wulong District have experienced remarkable growth in visitor numbers," said Zhang Hui, a representative from Ctrip.

Foreigners are visiting Dazu Rock Carvings. (Photo/Zheng Ran)

Ctrip's platform data indicates that from January to October 2024, tourists from unilateral visa-free countries made up nearly one-third of China's total inbound tour bookings. Moreover, inbound tour orders from countries such as Brunei, Iceland, and Slovakia grew at rates exceeding threefold, with internet-famous Chongqing becoming the first stop for many overseas visitors.

In the first half of 2024, the city welcomed approximately 510,000 inbound tourists. The resumption of global flight routes and the implementation of seamless visa processes, including the innovative "Yiwang Tongban" application for inbound tour visas, have further bolstered the city's tourism sector. 

The application leverages OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology to streamline passport information collection and automate data entry. This enables travel agencies to complete group visa applications online and significantly reduces administrative burdens.

"Our goal is to reduce the visa processing time from seven to three days and provide an expedited green channel for urgent cases, allowing for same-day visa issuance," noted Zhang Pan, director of the Chongqing Public Security Bureau's Exit-Entry Administration. "These measures aim to save travel agencies time and costs, enhancing the overall experience for international visitors."

Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport recently added routes to Seattle, Milan, Jakarta, Hanoi, Phnom Penh, Vientiane, and Penang while increasing the frequency of flights to major hubs such as Singapore, Seoul, Bangkok, and Kuala Lumpur. Currently, the airport operates 29 international and regional passenger routes, with nearly 160 weekly flights covering North America, Europe, Australia, the Middle East, Japan, South Korea, and Southeast Asia.

The city's tourism enterprises are rapidly adapting to these changes. Xiong Yaohua, director of the Europe and America Center at Chongqing Guanda Century Cruise Co., Ltd., shared their strategy: "We are collaborating with major universities in Chongqing to recruit talent proficient in foreign languages, such as French and Spanish. This boosts our marketing, translation services, and documentation support, ensuring high-quality service for international tourists."