China reduces visa fees

From December 11, 2023 to December 31, 2024, China has cut visa fees by 25 percent for visitors from various countries including Japan, Thailand, Mexico, the Philippines and Vietnam. The decision was made by the authorities to boost the country's economy and increase the entry of foreign tourists and entrepreneurs. According to local media reports, China has implemented a series of measures to boost foreign tourism and business visits, considering the slow recovery of the economy. China recently announced its plan to provide visa-free access to Germany France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and Malaysia for ordinary passport holders. This initiative, which started on December 1, 2023, will continue until November 30, 2024. Under this pilot program, citizens from the aforementioned countries will be able to enter China without a visa for up to 15 days, allowing them to engage in tourism,  business activities, family visits and transit.

Over the past months, China has taken a number of measures, including the reinstatement of international air routes, to revitalize its tourism sector.  As a result, this year, in October, China expanded its visa-free transit policy to include 54 countries and extended the privilege to Norwegian citizens. In a major move in August, Chinese authorities has decided to lift the ban on tours to more than 70 destinations, leading to a surge in tourists and airlines across Asia.

China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism has declared the relaunch of the group tours to various destinations in Asia, Europe, Africa and North America. The list also includes various regions such as Finland, Germany, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, UK, Sweden and Israel among others.