Explainer | Is China charting a new course with its ‘second golden age’ of cruise tourism?
- China is making waves in the international cruise industry following the maiden voyage of its first home-grown large cruise liner at the start of this year
China has long maintained a dominant position in the global shipbuilding industry, and it accounted for more than 76 per cent of orders in April, according to British analytics firm Clarksons Research.
And with its visa-free policies aimed at boosting the number of foreign visitors in the post-Covid era, international cruise passengers are allowed to remain in China for up to 15 days.
How do cruises fit into China’s visa-free scheme?
In May, it was confirmed that foreign visitors arriving via international cruises could stay in China for up to 15 days without a visa.
The new regulations allow foreigners travelling in tour groups of at least two people to enter China visa-free through all 13 cruise ports.
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China expands visa-free travel to 6 new countries
Large international cruises had already started to return to China this year, with Germany’s TUI Cruises having brought 10,000 tourists to China between February and April, according to Shi Zeyi, deputy director of the International Exchange and Cooperation Bureau under China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
