China’s tourism revival: Visa-free entry to over 70 countries fuels foreign arrivals; travel firms report booming post-Covid recovery
China has significantly expanded its visa-free entry policy, allowing citizens from 74 countries to visit for up to 30 days without a visa. The move, aimed at reviving inbound tourism and stimulating the economy, has led to a sharp rise in foreign arrivals. Since late 2023, Beijing has steadily expanded the policy, allowing short-term visits of up to 30 days for travellers from much of Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. As per the Associated Press (AP), more than 20 million people entered China without a visa in 2024, more than doubling the previous year’s figure and accounting for nearly a third of all foreign arrivals.“This really helps people to travel because it is such a hassle to apply for a visa,” said Georgi Shavadze, a tourist visiting Beijing from Austria, as cited by AP. Others, like Norwegian Øystein Sporsheim, welcomed the relief from multiple embassy visits when travelling with children.While the majority of footfall at tourist spots remains domestic, the landscape is rapidly shifting. Gao Jun, an English-speaking tour guide in Beijing, was quoted by AP saying that he was “overwhelmed with tours” and had launched a training programme for aspiring guides to meet growing demand. Tour companies are also seeing a revival, Jenny Zhao of boutique travel agency WildChina said business was up 50% from pre-pandemic levels, with European travellers now making up 15–20% of clients, a steep rise from under 5% in 2019.Shanghai, one of China’s top gateways, saw 2.6 million overseas visits in the first half of 2025, a 44.8% year-on-year jump, with over half of them entering visa-free, according to local authorities.As per the South China Morning Post, Pudong International Airport handled 2.37 million foreign entries, topping national rankings. In Beijing, 840,000 of 1.49 million foreign entries were visa-free, while Chengdu saw a 120% rise in such arrivals. Hainan, which allows visa-free travel for 59 countries, recorded nearly 663,000 foreign entries, 89% under the scheme.Trip.com Group, a Shanghai-based online travel agency, said bookings for air travel and hotels in China doubled in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year, with 75% of visitors coming from visa-exempt regions, according to AP.The policy’s reach continues to widen. On July 16, Azerbaijan will become the 75th country to benefit. About two-thirds of the nations currently included are under a one-year trial period.For those outside the scheme, including travellers from the US, Canada and the UK, China offers a 10-day visa-free transit option, provided the journey involves onward travel to a third country. This option applies at 60 designated ports of entry.James Liang, chairman of leading travel firm Ctrip, said inbound tourism had already recovered to 70–80% of pre-covid levels and “could be fully recovered this year,” as quoted by Shanghai outlet The Paper. “If bottlenecks are tackled,” he added, “China’s inbound tourism could reach the world’s top tier in 10 or 20 years.”
