Fortune’s Post

The number of foreign visitors to China soared 129.9 percent year on year to 17.25 million in the first seven months of this year.

Thailand and China agreed on Sunday (Jan 28) to waive visa requirements for each other's nationals to facilitate travel and tourism between the two countries, hurt by COVID-19. Thai Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-nukara and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi signed the mutual visa exemption, which takes effect on Mar 1, at a ceremony after a meeting in Bangkok. China was a top source for Thailand's tourism industry, a major driver of Southeast Asia's second-largest economy before COVID-19, but the return of Chinese tourists to Thailand has been slow. The number of Chinese tourists to Thailand plunged to 3.5 million last year from 11 million in 2019 before the pandemic. Beijing and Bangkok also pledged to speed up the construction of the China-Thailand railway and work together in combating transnational crimes. Source: Reuters #china #beijing #thailand #bangkok #chineseeconomy #trade #investments #crossborder #tourism #diplomacy #bilateralrelations

Bookings for summer travel to China surge, as visa-free policy is extended to more countries https://lnkd.in/g4EC6K44 In the first quarter of 2024, the number of entrances and exits made by foreign nationals jumped by 305.2 percent year-on-year to more than 13 million.

China’s foreign arrivals still down 60% from pre-pandemic times https://lnkd.in/gt5a5QhR China reopened its borders a year ago to revive international tourism. But foreign-traveler numbers remain 60% below pre-pandemic levels. In 2023, China saw 35.5 million foreign entries and exits, only 36% of the 97.7 million in 2019. Over half of these border crossings occurred in the last quarter of 2023, showing late-year momentum.

China recorded over 4.36 million inbound tourist arrivals in the first half of 2024, a 5.4-fold increase compared to the same period the previous year, new data showed. According to a report from China’s National Immigration Administration (NIA), the number of international travelers entering China through the 72/144-hour visa-free transit policies increased during this time fourfold year-over-year. Under the 144-hour visa-free policy, visitors from 54 countries, including the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, can enter China for up to 144 hours without a visa for short-term activities like tourism and business. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dgwJMGky #China #ChinaTourism #Visa #TravelChina

China's travel sector is a key driver for its continued economic growth and should be top of the list for international investors wanting to have China-based tourism units. January to November 2023 numbers show a 9% Service import/export volume increase. Within Services sector, travel has registered a whopping 73.5% year-on-year surge to more than 1.31 trillion RMB. (https://lnkd.in/dycF5fQP)

It's no surprise to see a massive wave of new foreign residents enter Japan. Ranked by #USnews as 6th in world's best countries (with Switzerland taking the top mark), Japan excels in Education, Safety, and Environmental Safety. On the other hand, there are disparities on income vs comfort. Based on the #OECD best life index's 2023 reports, the average single household in Japan earns 3.3 million yen, whereas the average income required to live comfortably as a single person is 6 million yen. The definition of "comfort" indeed varies between person to person, but it goes to show that there is room for improvement, especially when analyzing the rise in inflation versus stagnant salaries across the country. If you're curious about the average cost of goods in Japan, I recommend this site from Numbeo 💸 https://shorturl.at/fnoEM #Japan #salary #index #population #government https://lnkd.in/gypVab96

China agrees to visa-free travel for Swiss nationals 👏 China and Switzerland reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen the existing free trade agreement and enhance bilateral relations, according to the Swiss government. China's decision to offer visa-free access to more countries is crucial as it promotes economic growth through increased tourism and trade relations. #china #trade #business #visa

China is going to simplify the visa applications for tourists from the United States, cutting the documents required, to help China revive tourism and boost the world's second-largest economy. https://bit.ly/3TKQwLp #manufacturing #china #globaleconomy

safest cities in China Do you want to travel to China alone? For immigration or a few days trip to this country, you should know which are the safest cities in China. For a trip for women and those who want to immigrate to China, one of the most important criteria is the safety of the place they are going. For a country that has many immigrants, China has made many efforts to create a safe and reliable environment. Efficient public transportation and developed infrastructure and peaceful atmosphere are the main reasons for the safety of the cities of this country, but not all of its cities can be said to be safe. https://lnkd.in/gCPixDvY