≡-France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, And Malaysia Spearhead A Global Tourism Revolution As China Unveils An Unprecedented Visa Free Gateway For Seventy Four Nations – Viral of Today

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Home » TRAVEL NEWS » France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, And Malaysia Spearhead A Global Tourism Revolution As China Unveils An Unprecedented Visa Free Gateway For Seventy Four Nations Tuesday, July 8, 2025China introduced its largest-ever visa-free initiative, which allows nationals of seventy-four nations, including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, and Malaysia, to visit for a maximum of thirty days without a visa. This first-of-its-kind initiative is geared towards rejuvenating international tourist traffic, deepening economic cooperation, and making China a preferred holiday destination globally in a post-pandemic world.The nation is seeing a robust comeback by foreign visitors as China pursues its most comprehensive visa-free policy so far. Citizens of 74 nations are now allowed to travel to China visa-free for a 30-day stay as a major shift away from previously tough entry requirements by China.The unprecedented action is designed to restore China’s tourism industry, boost its internal economy, and enhance its world presence. In 2024, more than 20 million foreign visitors arrived in China under its visa-free entry system, data by China’s National Immigration Administration showed. This represents almost one-third of all foreign arrivals and double last year’s amount.Domestic visitors are still a majority at popular tourist sites throughout the country. Nonethelesss, China’s tourism industry is preparing for a mass influx of foreigners, especially before upcoming summer holidays when foreign visitors would pour in.China reopened its borders to international tourists in early 2023 after easing its strict COVID-19 measures. The rebound was slow initially, with just 13.8 million international arrivals that year — less than half the 31.9 million recorded in 2019, the last year before the pandemic. This year, though, the numbers show a sharp upward trend.Visa-Free Access Transforms International Travel to ChinaChina began easing its visa requirements in December 2023 by making travel from France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and Malaysia possible for visitors without a visa. In the following months, the list continued to grow to almost all European countries, a number of Latin American countries, and regions of the Middle East. In June, Uzbekistan was added to the list, and on July 16, Azerbaijan will make 75 countries eligible.It is introduced as a pilot scheme for one-year in most countries. It does away with time-consuming applications and visits to embassies, and China becomes alluring to foreign visitors chasing hassle-free holidays.Tourist enterprises have already begun witnessing encouraging impacts of these developments. Tour operators’ booking volumes have increased, and demand from foreign clients is expanding for hotels and airlines. Air travel, hotel reservation, and tour booking for China doubled during the first quarter of 2025 as compared to 2024’s corresponding quarter. About 75% of these visitors hail from nations enjoying visa-free entry.European and Asian Travelers Lead the ReboundThough American visitors still constitute China’s largest foreign tourism source market, European visitors are catching up rapidly. Industry statistics reveal Europeans now constitute 15–20% of China’s foreign visitors, a remarkable growth from fewer than 5% prior to 2019.The new visa policies have made China a more accessible destination for travelers across Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Families and tour groups in particular are embracing the convenience of visa-free travel, which saves both time and money.The Chinese luxury travel market is also experiencing growth. Boutique tour operators are broadening their offers to cater to foreign arrivals in quest of customized experiences. Several are initiating training schemes for English-speaking tourist guides to respond to demand.Africa and North America Face More RestrictionsDespite China’s extensive connections with Africa, no major African country has yet been included in the visa-free program. African travelers must continue applying for visas through traditional channels, which some experts believe could slow growth in visitor numbers from the continent.For travelers from countries like the United States, Canada, and Mexico — which are excluded from the 30-day visa-free list — China offers a 10-day transit visa exemption. This option allows visitors to enter China without a visa if they are traveling onward to a third country. The policy applies at 60 designated entry points nationwide and covers 55 countries.Though most of these 55 nations also possess 30-day visa-free entry, Transit Exemption provides an alternative for countries outside of the larger plan.Diplomatic Spats Impact Visa PoliciesSweden is the only high-income European nation not on the list of visa exemption. Analysts attribute this move to tense diplomatic relations between Stockholm and Beijing in the last couple of years. Relations had spiked after Chinese authorities jailed a Swedish citizen, a bookseller, in 2020, after his murky disappearance in Thailand and re-emergence while in Chinese detention.Experts believe that geopolitical considerations can still influence China’s visa policy in the future.China’s Tourism Outlook Brims with RadianceThrough its increased visa-free scheme, China is making itself a friendlier and more accessible place for foreign visitors. It is a policy that goes with efforts by China to revitalize international connections and promote its attractions and culture to a global audience.Online travel companies and booking agencies remain bullish about continued growth. Convenience of visa-free travels has attracted repeat visitors and opened new markets. Foreign airlines have also begun to catch on by providing increased direct foreign flights into Chinese cities.China has rolled out a never-before visa-free system for seventy-four nations, including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, and Malaysia, in a move aimed at boosting global tourism, enhancing economic connectivity, and attracting millions of foreign tourists.As warm weather looms, China is gearing up to receive millions of visitors hungry to see sights ranging from the Great Wall and Forbidden City to new centers like Shanghai and Shenzhen. If the current momentum continues, 2025 could see international tourist arrivals surpass pre-pandemic levels.

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