Türkiye has granted visa-free travel to Chinese citizens holding ordinary passports for tourism and transit, according to a presidential decree published in the Official Gazette on Wednesday.
Under the new regulations signed by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Chinese travelers will be exempt from visa requirements for stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period. The policy is set to take effect on Jan. 2.
The move aims to strengthen trade and tourism between the two nations. It follows a significant surge in arrivals from China, which has become one of Türkiye's fastest-growing tourism markets.
According to Türkiye's official data, the number of Chinese visitors to Turkey rose 65.1 percent year-on-year in 2024 to approximately 410,000, bolstered by increased flight connectivity and interest in Türkiye's cultural heritage sites.
Türkiye grants visa-free entry to Chinese tourists
Türkiye grants visa-free entry to Chinese tourists
China has seen a surge in passenger traffic on New Year's Day, the first day of its three-day New Year holiday, with significant increases in short- and medium-distance travel and strong year-on-year growth in flight bookings.
Data showed that during the holiday period, short- and medium-distance travel is the main mode of travel in China's Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta, and Chengdu-Chongqing regions, with trips crossing the New Year becoming a major highlight.
Domestic flight bookings for the holiday increased by 28 percent year on year, and international flight bookings increased by approximately 14 percent year on year, according to data from Umetrip, a popular Chinese flight travel application.
"During the New Year holiday, the popularity of winter escape trips to the south increased significantly compared to previous years. On the other hand, new destinations in the south are rapidly emerging. Flight bookings to cities such as Nanning, Jieyang, Quanzhou, and Huizhou all increased by more than 70 percent year on year, becoming highlights of holiday travel growth," said Zhao Nan, general manager of the industry development department at Umetrip.
In China's coastal province of Fujian, the province's maritime administration anticipates that 143 passenger ships will be in operation during the holiday, carrying over 380,000 passengers.
The Mini Three Links, which refers to small-scale trade, shipping and postal services between Fujian province, Kinmen Island and the Matsu Island group, are expected to carry over 20,000 passengers, an increase of more than 50 percent compared to the same period last year.
China sees travel surge on New Year's Day
