China will expand the scope of its 72-hour visa-free entry policy to boost consumption and provide new impetus to domestic demand.
The country will also improve the tax refund policy for foreign visitors and hasten the opening of more duty-free shops in cities included in the visa program, according to a guide issued on Monday on the official website of China's central government.
The guide did not reveal further details of how the 72-hour visa-free entry policy will be expanded.
An official with the Bureau of the Exit and Entry Administration under the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) said that the policy has been adopted by 18 Chinese cities, including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong Province, news site chinanews.com reported on Monday.
Travelers from 51 countries and regions - including the US, Russia, Britain, France and Japan - can enjoy a 72-hour stay in 18 cities upon entry, provided they have visas for entry to a third country or region and tickets to leave for a third country or region within 72 hours, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
Experts and officials in the 18 cities have said that the move will boost international tourism, cultural exchange and commercial and trade cooperation.
"Many cities in the world, such as Tokyo, have visa waiver programs to attract more visitors, and they have achieved good results," Wei Xiang, a professor of tourism management at Beijing International Studies University, previously told the Global Times.
