Eased Visa Policies Spark New Adventures for Chinese and European Travelers

This summer, Europe welcomes a surge of Chinese tourists, driven by China's continued openness and new direct flights between European and Chinese cities. At the same time, relaxed visa policies by the Chinese government since last year have prompted more Europeans to travel to China. This growing two-way tourism trend is expected to restore Europe's tourism sector to pre-pandemic levels, fostering cultural and people-to-people exchanges between China and Europe.

More Chinese tourists are choosing private trips over package tours, exploring Europe in diverse ways. In the first half of this year, the Spanish Statistical Office recorded 337,446 Chinese tourists, approaching last year's total of 382,207. A recent study by the Spanish Tourism Institute highlighted significant growth potential for tourism from distant locations like China, aided by the operation of direct flights. The study found that Chinese tourists are highly interested in Spain and possess a deep understanding of Spanish destinations and tourism services. While France and Italy remain popular, Chinese tourists are increasingly visiting Central-Eastern European countries such as Croatia and Slovenia. Slovenia, known for its pristine natural scenery and rich cultural heritage, has reported a noticeable increase in tourists from mainland China this summer, according to local travel agents.

According to the European Commission, EU residents made 2.1 million trips to China in 2016, with an average stay of 15.6 nights. They spent a total of EUR 5.1 billion on these trips, making China the third-largest destination in terms of expenditure.

China is becoming a popular travel destination for Europeans. In 2016, China ranked number eight among non-EU destinations. The United States was the most popular non-EU destination, followed by neighboring countries such as Turkey, Switzerland, Norway, and Russia.

The number of nights spent in the EU by Chinese tourists has more than tripled over the last ten years, reaching nearly 25 million nights in 2016. Tourism from China has increased more than that from other major non-EU countries, including the United States, Russia, and Brazil.

Visa-Free Expansion

China has extended its visa-free travel program to include Australia, Poland, and New Zealand until the end of 2025 to boost tourism. Polish citizens now benefit from this policy, joining 11 other European nations like Spain, Italy, and France.

Starting in early 2024, the initiative was rolled out in phases, initially benefiting 11 European countries and Malaysia. The program aims to attract visitors for business, luxury travel, and tourism, fostering interactions between Chinese citizens and foreign nationals.

Eligible Countries

Citizens from Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain, and Switzerland enjoy visa-free entry to China until the end of next year. Polish citizens will join this list starting July 1.