China Opens Its Gates Wider: 74 Nations Now Eligible For Visa-Free Entry; Is India On The List? | World News

Beijing/New Delhi: China took action. Without too much admiration, he quietly opened his doors to tourists from 74 countries. No visa. No long form. No consul order. Just go in and stay for up to 30 days.

This change is not a small gesture. It points to a new stage in China’s social assistance – aims to revive tourism, increase the struggling economy and re -brand its image abroad.

And numbers? They’re already telling the story. In 2024, more than 20 million foreign tourists entered China. This is almost one -third of all international arrivals. Two times what the country saw last year.

The National Immigration Administration published the data quietly proudly. The message behind the statistics was high enough – China wants visitors and willing to make it easier.

On the floor of the Albanian pavement of Beijing Temple of Paradise, a Georgian traveler named Giorgi Shavadze looked around and smiled. “Applying a visa is a difficulty. This change makes it much easier to visit,” he said.

In December 2023, China first entered France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysian citizens without a visa. Then it came more. Europe saw its country after adding the country to the list. It took a slice in Latin America – in June, five countries joined, then Uzbekistan.

Then the Middle East came. Access to four countries from the region was given. And on July 16, Azerbaijan will be officially added and the number will be 75.

However, India is on the list.

Tour operators in China are preparing. Local tourists are still a majority of the uprising, but this summer, foreign travelers are expected to be in force. Travel companies are preparing for packaged tour buses and busy city streets.

Shanghai -based trip.com confirmed the trend. In the first three months of 2024, hotel reservations, flight reservations and tour packages for China doubled compared to the same time last year. Three quarters of these tourists? They came from Visa exempted countries.

America is still sending the most visitors. Approximately 30% of Trip.com’s work comes from the United States. But there is a visible change. European tourists, once a negligible 5% of the pandemic days, now constitute approximately 20%.

So why now?

The observers point to a mix of motives. The Chinese economy needs an increase. Global perception needs to reset. Tourism helps both. Countries such as Japan and South Korea tighten the entry rules, while Beijing’s comfortable stance seems even more attractive.

But there is also geopolitics.

It was not noticed that India was not on the list. Despite exploding trade and regular diplomatic changes, border disputes and tensions around regional competition still have shadowed. Until this fog is cleaned, Indian citizens do not seem unlikely to receive green light without visa.

For now, the dragon hospitality – but only the people he chooses.