Hungarians looking to visit China have praised the country's visa-free agreements with countries in Europe and Asia, saying the new program offers them a window of opportunity to explore China.
From March 14, citizens of Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium and Luxembourg can all enjoy visa-free entry and stay in China for up to 15 days for business, tourism, family visits, or transit.
David Panajoth is thousands of kilometers away from a country he considers his adopted home - China. It was there where the Hungarian-born male model says he found professional success.
"I got from China, from the Chinese people, the opportunities in China. So, we should give the same warmth like we got in China," he said.
Panajoth said his career took off in China, initially as a TV commercial model, then transitioning to acting in movies after mastering Chinese.
He later became the lead on the Chinese version of "The Bachelor," which paved the way for him to establish his modeling agency there with the help of local partners.
"Actually it is not that much hard to start a company in China. So I was thinking it's going to be much more harder but I think Chinese people love to give opportunities to foreign people also, So it was not that hard actually," he said
Panajoth now runs his company from Hungary, but he still wants to return to China. He said he postponed his travel plans because of the long visa process.
Yet, the recent Chinese visa-free travel initiative has reignited his interest in visiting.
Cutting down on red tape could boost Hungarian travel to China this year. Analysts say before the pandemic, around 30,000 Hungarians visited the country each year.
Another critical factor stimulating tourism is the improved air connectivity between China and Hungary.
For over a decade, Viktor Vereb, manager of HiSeas Travel Agency in Hungary, has promoted Hungary as a destination for Chinese tourists. But now he's hoping he can help Hungarians discover China.
"We have four cities, four destinations in China - Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, and Ningbo. The Beijing and Shanghai flights were already there before the pandemic. But Ningbo and Chongqing is [are] basically, relatively new destinations. And total number of 13 flights per week," he said.
Panajoth sees the new visa-free travel initiative as a bridge between nations.
Regardless of his location, he says, China will always be a part of him.
China's visa-free policy facilitates foreign travelers
