China will reopen its borders to foreign tourists for the first time in the three years since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, allowing the issuance of all categories of visas, including tourist ones, starting Wednesday. The resumption of the issuance of tourist visas shows Beijing’s willingness to normalize travel between China and the world, after the government in January withdrew its warning to citizens against traveling abroad.
The removal of this latest restrictive measure imposed to protect against COVID-19 is known after the Chinese authorities declared last month that they had defeated the coronavirus.
However, a massive influx of visitors is not expected in the short term, nor a significant boost to the economy, as international tourism accounted for just 0.9% of China’s gross domestic product in 2019, before the border closures for the pandemic.
The areas of China that did not need a visa before the covid will again be exempt from visas, as announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This includes the southern tourist island of Hainan, a longtime favorite destination for Russians, as well as cruise ships that call at the port of Shanghai.
Visa-free entry for foreigners from Hong Kong and Macao will also resume in China’s most prosperous province, Guangdong, a boon especially for luxury hotels, which are popular with international business travelers.
