Finland, Iceland, Slovakia: 24 European countries can now visit China visa-free

China’s visa-free listing continues to develop, with 5 extra European nations being added.

Residents of Andorra, Finland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco and Slovakia have now been granted visa waivers for the Asian nation.

Vacationers from these nations, in addition to South Korea, will have the ability to enter China visa-free from 8 November 2024 till 31 December 2025.

This comes after it was introduced Norway can be added earlier in September, adopted by Cyprus, Denmark, Greece, Portugal and Slovenia in October.

It brings the overall variety of European nations granted visa-free entry as much as 24.

In July, vacationers from Poland, Australia and New Zealand had been additionally granted unrestricted entry to China till the tip of 2025.

For the reason that begin of 2024, the scheme has been introduced in levels, with numerous European nations and Malaysia additionally gaining visa-free entry. It goals to encourage extra individuals to go to China for enterprise and tourism, and promote exchanges between Chinese language residents and international nationals.

The total listing of European nations now consists of Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Eire, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland. Vacationers from these nations shall be allowed to enter China for brief stays with no visa till the tip of subsequent yr.

The goal is “to facilitate the high-quality improvement of Chinese language and international personnel exchanges and high-level opening as much as the skin world,” International Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning mentioned at a briefing on the preliminary announcement made in November.

Visa-free entry shall be granted for as much as 15 days within the trial programme.

Worldwide journey to China remains to be bouncing again

China’s strict pandemic measures, which included required quarantines for all arrivals, discouraged many individuals from visiting for almost three years. The restrictions had been lifted early final yr, however worldwide journey has but to bounce again to pre-pandemic ranges.

China beforehand allowed residents of Brunei, Japan and Singapore to enter with no visa however suspended that after the COVID-19 outbreak. It resumed visa-free entry for Brunei and Singapore in July however has not finished so for Japan.

In 2023, China recorded 35.5 million entries and exits by foreigners, in line with immigration statistics. That compares to 97.7 million for all of 2019, the final yr earlier than the pandemic.

The federal government has been searching for international funding to assist increase a sluggish economic system, and a few businesspeople have been coming for commerce gala’s and conferences, together with Tesla’s Elon Musk and Apple’s Tim Prepare dinner. International vacationers are nonetheless a uncommon sight in comparison with earlier than the pandemic.

How else is China simplifying journey for Europeans?

Final yr noticed a surge in curiosity in China as a vacationer vacation spot amongst Europeans.

Information from on-line journey company Journey.com confirmed a 663 per cent enhance in general bookings from Europe to China in comparison with 2022, and an nearly 29 per cent enhance on 2019.

The UK and Germany had been amongst the highest 10 sources of inbound travellers to China globally, the information reveals.

Shanghai stays the preferred vacation spot amongst Europeans with its alluring mix of modernity and custom, adopted by Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

Sanya, a beachside metropolis on the southern finish of China’s Hainan Island, and Chengdu – the capital of southwestern China’s Sichuan province – are rising locations.

Past it is new visa-free schemes, the nation is additional encouraging inbound tourism by selling cultural and historic sights in partnership with Journey.com. China can also be enhancing tourism infrastructure by investing in expertise, journey guides and e-payment methods.