China has announced an expansion of its visa-free travel program, which began last year and allows travelers from 54 countries, including the U.S., to enter China without prior visa approval if they are in transit to another country. The new policy raises the limit on how long those travelers can stay to 10 days, up from a maximum of six days. (New York Times)
Our Take
This change by China’s government is a modest measure, but it is reflective of Beijing’s continued efforts to reestablish China as a destination for travelers amid a post-pandemic slump in the tourism industry. Since reopening its borders in late 2022, the country has not even come close to reaching pre-pandemic tourism levels, even as other popular destinations around the world reached new peaks due to pent-up demand once travel restrictions were lifted. The lack of spending by tourists only worsens the problems facing China’s economy.
Reinvigorating China’s tourism industry will likely be an uphill battle, though. Beijing’s draconian COVID-19 lockdown measures, which lasted nearly three years, exacerbated a growing perception—tied to geopolitical tensions in Western countries—of China as uninviting. Meanwhile, crackdowns on political dissent, the further tightening of space for free speech and high-profile arrests of foreign nationals in China have only compounded that view.