China's latest visa-free policy has provided new travel choices for Europeans, attracting local tour agencies to explore new business opportunities in China's tourism market while helping boost people-to-people exchange.
Viktor Vereb, manager of Hiseas Travel Agency in Hungary, has been promoting Hungary and Central Europe as the travel destinations for Chinese tourists for over a decade. As China's new visa policy offers many Europeans a chance to take a look around China, he has been exploring business opportunities the other way.
"China is a very fascinating and interesting country. On the one hand, they have their rich history that goes back 5,000 years, and on the other hand, that rapid and robust development they have been through in the past 20 years, 30 years, 40 years, I think, you have to see this, Europeans have to see this," said Vereb.
And in Slovakia, experts expect that the number of visits to China will triple compared to past statistics.
"We want to promote China as a luxury destination. You can fly in very good business class, you can stay in five star hotels and you can explore the traditional culture. And this will be the main topic of our campaign. And of course, without visa, it's so easy," said Jozef Zeliznak, marketing director of Bubo Travel agency.
The visa-free policy turns out to be especially attractive for the younger generation. As the current policy applies mostly to tourists, they are expecting that it could pave the way for more academic exchanges between European countries and China, allowing them to know China deeper and more directly.
"Then you can really see what the society there is really like and be a part of it and learn all of it, basically, more than you would as a tourist," said Hanna Leindl, a student from Vienna University.
China's visa-free policy provides new travel choices for Europeans
