China's cruise ship tourism market has received a boost from a recently introduced policy allowing visa-free entry for foreign tourist groups at ports along China's coastline, with travelers hailing the greater convenience brought by the new measure which has significantly streamlined border-entry procedures. The policy, which took effect on May 15, comes amid a series of supportive measures China has rolled out to boost the development of the tourism sector in recent months.
It enables tour groups consisting of two or more foreigners which have been organized by Chinese travel agencies to enter China visa free via the cruise ports in 13 Chinese cities, including Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangzhou, and Sanya, according to the National Immigration Administration (NIA). Tourists can stay in China for no longer than 15 days and are allowed to visit coastal provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions as well as Beijing, the NIA said.
The latest foreign tour group to benefit from the new visa-free cruise initiative was a Bahamas-registered cruise ship "Mediterranean" that docked on Friday at the International Cruise Home Port in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin, located nearby the capital Beijing.
Nearly 800 foreign tourists from countries such as Kazakhstan, Russia, India, and Malaysia were able to enjoy the convenience of the new policies regarding customs clearance.
"It is very easy to go inside quickly and we didn't lose so much time which is very important for the people who want to go quickly to the city. We [will go] to Beijing and we'll return to Europe. And I hope that we shall return again and I'm planning even every year to come here," said a visitor from Bulgaria.
Immigration staff also noted how the measure has greatly simplified entry procedures.
"Before the implementation of the new policy, foreign travelers entering the country were required to fill out an entry card, provide biometric information such as fingerprints, and obtain an entry stamp. If tourists travel from Tianjin to Beijing or other places for sightseeing without a valid visa, they would need to apply for temporary permits or seek temporary stay documents. The processing time for this can be relatively lengthy. After the implementation of the new policy, some of these procedures have been exempted or simplified, significantly reducing the processing time," said Bi Linlin, a staff member from the Tianjin Dongjiang Border Inspection Station.
China reported more than 190,000 cruise passenger trips in the first quarter of the year, surpassing the figure registered for the whole of 2023, which amounted to 107,000 trips, the Ministry of Transport said earlier this month, signaling a rapid recovery and growth in the country's cruise tourism market.
Visa-free entry of foreign tourist groups helps promote cruise tourism market
