North India Statesman
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Beijing/New Delhi: China has done its move. Without any particular noise, he has quietly opened his doors to tourists from 74 countries. No visa. No long form. There is no queue of consulate consulate. Just come in and wait for 30 days. This change is not a small step. This is a sign of a new phase in China’s reach – whose direct purpose is to revive tourism, promote its endangered economy and give a new look to your image abroad. And figures? These are telling the story. In 2024, more than 2 crore foreign tourists came to China without a visa. This is about one third of the total international tourists. Last year, the entire number of tourists who came to the country doubled. The National Immigration Administration released these data with great pride. The message behind these statistics was quite loud – China wants tourists, and is ready to make it easier. In the field of Temple of Heaven’s stone of Beejing, a Georgian Shavadje looked around and smiled. “Applying for a visa is a mess. This change has made it very easy to come here,” said. In December 2023, China first started visa-free entry for citizens of France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia. Then more countries joined it. In Europe, one after the other, countries joined this list. Latin America also got part in it – five countries joined it in June, followed by Uzbekistan. Then came the Middle East. Four countries of the region were given admission. And on 16 July, Azerbaijan will officially be included in it, which will make the number 75. However, India is out of this list. Tour operators in China are busy preparing. Domestic tourists still come mostly, but foreign tourists are expected to return to a large number of this summer. Travel companies are preparing for packed tour buses and busy roads of the city. Shungi -based Trip.com has confirmed the trend. In the first three months of 2024, hotel booking, flight reservation and tour packages for China doubled compared to the same period last year. Three-fourth of these tourists? Came from visa-free countries. America still sends the most tourists. About 30% of Trip.com’s business comes from the US. But a clear change is also visible. European tourists, which were negligible 5% in the days before the epidemic, are now about 20%. Now why? Observers point to many objectives. China’s economy needs to be promoted. Global perception needs to be renewed. Tourism is helpful in both cases. And with tightening the rules by countries like Japan and South Korea, this loose trend of Beijing seems even more attractive. But it also includes geopolitics. The absence of India in this list is not hidden from anyone’s eyes. Despite increasing trade and regular diplomatic exchange, border disputes and tensions associated with regional rivalry are still in the shadow. Until this fog does not be sorted, Indian citizens find it difficult to get a visa -free travel. Currently, the Dragon is welcoming – but only those whom they choose.
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