For years, China has been a major contributor to global tourism, sending millions of its citizens abroad to explore, shop, and capture memories. Now, the country is inviting the world to return the favor. Recognizing that visa requirements can be a deterrent for travelers, China is making it easier for more countries to visit by expanding its visa-waiver program.
China has further opened its doors, with Australia being the latest country added to its growing list of visa-waiver beneficiaries. Chinese Premier Li Qiang announced this development on Monday during an official visit to Australia, marking a significant enhancement in bilateral relations.
“We have agreed to grant each other reciprocal access to five-year multiple-entry visas for tourism, business, and family visits to facilitate personal exchanges. Additionally, China will include Australia in its visa waiver program,” stated Premier Qiang.
Despite Qantas, Australia’s national airline, announcing its withdrawal from Mainland China six months after re-entering the market, China is moving ahead with its visa-friendly policies. Qantas’ International CEO remarked that leaving China was the right decision at the time, speaking to Skift.
Details on the new visa-waiver arrangement are pending, but this follows closely after a similar announcement for New Zealand passport holders. Just last Thursday, Premier Qiang declared visa-free entry for New Zealand citizens and expressed readiness to discuss further measures to facilitate travel between the two countries.
Over the past year, China has gradually expanded its visa-free access. In November, China initiated a one-year trial for visa-free travel for citizens of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia. This program extended in March to include Ireland, Switzerland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, and Luxembourg. Initially set to end on November 30 this year, the trial period has now been extended until December 31, 2025.
With the inclusion of Australia and New Zealand, 14 countries now enjoy visa-free entry to China. Passport holders from these nations can stay in China for up to 15 days for tourism, business, family visits, or transit purposes.
Moreover, China signed a 30-day mutual visa exemption agreement with Singapore and a similar arrangement with Thailand, effective March 1, allowing for visa-free visits of up to 30 days per entry. Visa requirements have also been eased for U.S. citizens, eliminating the need to provide proof of round-trip air tickets, hotel reservations, itineraries, or invitation letters for tourist visas.
For cruise ship tourists, entry regulations have been relaxed as well. From May 15, these visitors can stay in China visa-free for up to 15 days.
These initiatives are part of a broader strategy to revitalize China’s tourism sector, which has struggled to regain its pre-pandemic momentum. In 2023, China welcomed 35.5 million foreign visitors, about 36% of the 97.7 million recorded in 2019.
However, there are signs of recovery. During the Lunar New Year in February, Chinese online travel agency Trip.com Group reported a tenfold increase in inbound travel bookings compared to the previous year, with significant interest from Japan, the U.S., South Korea, Malaysia, Australia, the U.K., Canada, Vietnam, Germany, and Thailand. Additionally, international travelers are extending their stays, with the average duration during the Spring Festival increasing to just over two days from under two days the previous year. The booking window for travel to China has also expanded from six days in 2023 to 39 days in 2024.
To further enhance the travel experience, China has strengthened partnerships with major payment organizations like Ant Group and Mastercard. The International Consumer Friendly Zones program in Shanghai was launched in collaboration with 12 overseas payment partners of Alipay+ and other major international card organizations, aiming to simplify transactions for global travelers.
Statistics from the first quarter of this year show a significant increase in foreign travelers to China compared to the same period in 2023. During this time, China issued 466,000 visas and documents to foreigners, marking a 119% year-on-year increase, and nearly 1.99 million foreigners entered China visa-free, a 266% year-on-year rise.
Highlighting the economic potential of inbound tourism, Jane Sun, CEO of Trip.com Group, stated, “China’s inbound tourism has huge potential, and if it is raised to the international median of 1.5% of GDP, it could yield growth of over RMB 1.3 trillion ($179 billion).”