Yeah the visas free policy has been a boon for the chinese market in attracting tourists again after the zero covid policy basically chaae away almost every foreigner from the country and the fact that the chinese government opened up way later than the world meant people were reluctant to visit China again. However with time and most of all the visa free policy which makes it easier for people to travel to china tourist number have returned to the pre covid era finally.Entire western world bar some hostile nations and Middle eastern countries have visa free entry. and don't forget about Korea and Japan too.
on every weekend, Shanghai become mini Seoul. "going to China for shopping on Friday" is a new trend in South Korea''
South Koreans made 8 million trips to Shanghai city alone in November 2024 to Feb, 2025.
Snacks and Oreos sales broke all the record. beauty saloons overwhelmed by the Female Korean tourists. almost half the price as compare to Korea.one nail saloon owner says, her friend list on wechat are mostly south koreans now. she adds she never seen anything like it in 20 years.
The visa free policy for south Koreans explains the large nunbers now travelling to China, but let's also hope this is will be a new nornal and will carry on like that for the foreseeable future and not just a temporary excitement of having visa free policy to china which is something new for them. Hopefully this will lead to even more korean/asian/western tourists coming to china since word of mouth is the most powerful marketing ever.
