China stands out for its openness to tourism

The growing level of confidence foreigners have in China’s social stability, hospitality, friendliness, natural beauty, sustainable green infrastructure and robust economy underscores China’s growing global appeal in the tourism industry. New data shows that international visitor traffic to China increased this year, illustrating the country’s efforts to support high-level opening-up.

The National Immigration Administration (NIA) reported on August 19 that as a result of many policies that have made it easier for foreigners to enter the country, the number of international visitors to China increased by about 130 percent year on year, reaching 17.25 million in the first seven months of this year. China reported 341 million cross-border trips from January to July, representing an increase of 62.34 percent compared with the same period last year.

This figure clearly highlights the effectiveness of China’s high-level opening-up, as well as the importance and recovery of the country’s tourism industry. As the country has gained popularity as an international travel destination, China intends to advance the tourism sector to make greater contributions to national economic growth.

China always welcomes and values ​​international visitors who come to the country to discuss cooperation possibilities and learn about China’s economic prospects. The revolution in restoring foreign visitors’ confidence in China can be attributed to the continuous opening-up policy and reform of immigration management services, the implementation of more than 110 measures, the optimization of entry and transit visa exemptions, mutual visa policies and unilateral visa exemptions, among others.

In short, China has relaxed visa rules for foreign travelers, allowing citizens of 54 countries to enjoy 144 hours of transit time through 37 ports, and allowing foreign businesspeople to apply for visas on arrival at 100 ports in 73 cities across the country.

Travelers are also attracted to China due to opportunities such as hassle-free travel, high living standards, better accommodations, scenic cultural sites with sustainable elements, rich infrastructure, vibrant urban life, Chinese cuisine, high-tech-enabled services, utmost food safety, endless entertainment, social stability, and modern and convenient transportation. The special appeal that China holds for international travelers also includes its distinctive ecosystem, environment, food, way of life, and expanding economy.

Chinese authorities have recently developed a series of master plans aimed at attracting international investors and the general public in order to stimulate the tourism industry. The adoption of these measures has contributed to the increase of international confidence, the promotion of trade and economic exchanges, and the facilitation of personnel exchanges. “Travel to China” has gained popularity as more international visitors witness China’s transparency, openness, innovativeness, self-confidence, and security first-hand.

Foreign visitors interested in China’s economic prospects and cooperative efforts are always warmly welcomed and highly appreciated in China. China’s tourism assets, sites, offerings and products have seen a significant increase in demand as foreigners prefer to consume high-quality products while in the country. With an average daily spending volume of around 3,500 yuan (approximately $491) per person, foreign tourists are projected to have increased consumption to over 100 billion yuan.

A considerable percentage of visitors came for work, education, leisure, individual and group tours, inspections and business visits. Thanks to the appropriate legislative framework established by the Chinese government, the potential of tourism to contribute significantly to high-quality consumption, domestic investment and foreign exchange earnings in China is being fully realized.

As a result, the digital economy and local job opportunities for tour guides and local tourism organizations are expanding. The number of international transactions using foreign e-wallet apps to pay for goods and services in China has already increased. To attract more foreign visitors, the tourism industry needs to develop its offerings and improve its services to better showcase China’s vitality and openness.

Moreover, this boom is not only countering Western propaganda about China’s alleged repression of foreign nationals under the pretext of national security, but is also revealing China’s growing appeal to foreign tourists, businesspeople and students.

China’s open and friendly approach to foreign visitors stands in stark contrast to the behavior of other Western nations, such as the United States, which preaches much about freedom but actually harasses and targets foreigners, including Chinese businessmen and students, on its soil.

As the National Day holiday, the second China International Supply Chain Expo and the 2024 China International Fair for Trade in Services are fast approaching, and China has vowed to continue refining and optimizing its policies as well as welcoming international visitors with greater openness, the number of foreign tourists visiting China is anticipated to increase in the second half of the year.

This further proves that China is a welcoming and tolerant nation in real life. The world will increasingly see and understand measures that make it easier for foreigners to understand the real, multifaceted and panoramic image of China.

Note: This article is republished from CGTN through a cooperation agreement between both parties for the dissemination of journalistic content. Original link.

Ibrahim Khalil Ahasan, a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, is a freelance columnist and journalist based in Bangladesh who writes on contemporary international issues.