China’s revamped visa and tax refund policies have significantly eased travel barriers, fueling a global surge in interest for “China Travel,” officials revealed.
During the latest episode of China Economic Roundtable, an all-media talk show hosted by Xinhua News Agency, Liu Jia of the National Immigration Administration detailed how updated visa-free policies have simplified procedures, shortened processing times, and lowered costs for foreign visitors, making travel to China more accessible than ever.
Since 2023, China has rolled out numerous measures to facilitate inbound tourism, including expanded mutual visa exemptions, unilateral visa-free access, and extended visa-free stays. Currently, China maintains comprehensive mutual visa exemptions with 29 countries, unilateral visa-free policies with 38 countries, and transit visa-free access for 54 nations—including the UK, the United States, and Canada.
In addition to visa reforms, China has optimized tax refund programs for international travelers. Shoppers can now claim instant rebates at tax-free stores, benefiting from a lowered minimum purchase threshold, a higher cash refund ceiling, and an expanded range of eligible products.
Shi Zeyi, an official from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, noted that continuous improvements in visa, payment, and tax policies have sparked robust recovery and broad growth prospects for China’s tourism sector.
In 2024, China welcomed 132 million inbound trips, generating $94.2 billion in tourism revenue—reaching 97.2% and 93.5%, respectively, of 2019 pre-pandemic levels, underscoring the sector’s strong rebound.
