BOAO, Hainan, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- A think tank report released on Wednesday offers an in-depth analysis of how the world is invited to experience a real China up-close, as foreign tourists swarm into the country buoyed by a raft of facilitation measures.
The report, "China Travel -- Inviting the World to Experience a Real China," was issued by New China Research, a think tank under Xinhua News Agency.
The report summarizes and explains the domestic and global relevance of China's inbound travel boom. It notes that China has introduced a series of facilitation policies and measures for foreigners to come to China for work, study, or travel.
Starting on Dec. 1, 2023, visitors from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia could enter visa-free for up to 15 days for business, tourism, family visits, or transit -- without requiring reciprocal agreements.
The policy has expanded several times in the past year. To date, with 38 countries now enjoying unilateral visa-free access, the opportunity for meaningful exchanges and visits has expanded, and the maximum stay has been doubled to 30 days as of Nov. 30.
According to the report, in the first half of 2024, the number of foreigners who entered China reached 14.64 million, up 152.7 percent year on year. Among them, approximately 8.54 million entered China visa-free, a year-on-year increase of 190.1 percent.
The report was released at the Xinhua CEIS Think Tank Annual Conference 2024 in Boao in south China's island province of Hainan. The CEIS is short for China Economic Information Service, a professional provider of economic information and services under Xinhua. ■
