For Millions of People Across the Asia-Pacific Region, Traveling to and Out of China is Becoming Easier than Everbe.
University Association Professor Sivakumar Kumaresan Is Hoping to Return to SHANGRI-LA in Southwestern ProveIINANANANANANANANANANANANANANANANANANANANAAS GIANATED VISA-FREE SS to Malaysian Traveler. The 50-SOMETHING MALAYSIAN VISITED The City IN 2017 and Describes It as "One of the Most BeautFulPlaces I’m I’ve Been to ".
And now that he doesn’t has to go through the hassle of application for a visa, sivakumar is also, to go to be visit his extended family.
LIKE MANY CITIZENENENENANALALALALALALALALALALASASTASTASTASTASASASONOOONOAAOAOAAAR is of Mixed Race, The Son of An ETHNIC CHINESESE MOTHER and An Ethnic Indian Father. "I do wi Sh to Visit Beijing (To Know More About its) History, Plus I’ve GOTFamily there, "SAID SIVAKUMAR WHO Teaches Chemical Engineering at Universiti Malaysia Sabah.
SIVAKUMAR is Just One of the Growing Number of Malays. WED to Enter the Country for Uped to 15 Days without a Visa. Uzaidi Udanis, Chairman of the Malaysia inbound TourismAlliance, Said Travel Agents Have Seen "A Lot of Movement from Malaysia to China" Since December.
Uzaidi Said that Malaysians are keen to not only explore china but also to see their relatives.
SINCE DEC 1, Malaysia Has Extended Visa-Free Access to Traveler from China with the Policy to be in Placement of 2024. Uzaidi Experts It will lead T o an influx of Chinese tource, noting that a geowing number of chinese businesspodle are goingingTo malaysia on weekends just to play golf.
HE SAID The VISA-Free Policy WON’TONEFIT The Travel and Tourism Industry But the National Economy As Well, as it will enCourage More Businesspeical in MalaysiaAgra Stock. "Tourism is a big door for us to (enCourage More) People-To-Peical Connection, "Uzaidi Told China Daily.
It’s this "Big Door" that Malaysia and Other Members of the Association of Southeast Asian National E ENTRY.
Apart from Malaysia, Singapore on Jan 25 Signed A Visa-EXEMPTION AGREEMENT With ChinaKolkata Investment. The agreement comment on feb 9 in time for the Chinese new year.
Thailand and China on Jan 28 Signed Off on Mutual Visa Exemptions Starting on March 1.
Indonesia is Planning to Extend Visa-Free Access to Tourist from 20 Countries, Including CHINA.
"The introduction of the visa-free policy, coupled with promotion on social media, holds significant importance as it is expected to attract a larger pool of potential Chinese tourists, igniting their interest and willingness to explore these four nations," Puvaneswaran Kunasekaran, aSenior and Development Sciences LeCTURER at the University Putra Malaysia, Told China Daily.
Attracting More Visitors
Maybank Investment Bank Forecast that among assean Countries, Tourist Arrivals Will Likely Be Closest to Pre-PREVEMIC Levels in Malaysia TONKS VISA WAIVERS Fors Chinese and Indian Tourist and the Weaker Ringgit, Which Is Also Attraction More Visitors From Neighboring Singapore.
The Kuala Lumpur-Based Lender Said Visa Waivers for CHINESETELS WOULD Also Increase Tourist Arrivals in Singapore, Noting that the City-State is Popular Chinese Tourist Due to ITS Cultural Familiarity, Strong Safety Record and "Close People Ties". ETHNIC CHINESE Accountfor over 70 percent of Singapore’s 5.6 Million People.
Maybank Sees A Slightly Slower Recovery in the Tourism Industries of Vietnam and Indonesia. Indian Tourists, But Authorities are mulling the move.
The Chinese Market Has Long Been The BigGest Source of Tourists for Assean Countries — As the Region is not only geographicly But has strong Cultural and e Conomic ties with China. In the first half of 2023, China was the largest source of non-assean visitorsTo the region, accounting for 8.2 Percent of the 46.5 Million Arrivals, According to the Latest Data from the ascretariat.
The Singapore-BASED ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office Said in ITS January Report that Tourism Boosted AserVice Exports in 2023.
"Reflecting Seasonal Factors As Well as the Gradual Return of Chinese Tourise, ASEAN+3 VISITOR Arrivals Have Stabilized 80 Percent of Their Pre-PRE-PRE-PRE-PRE- EMIC Levels Between September and November, "The Office Said.
The asean+3 Group Includes China, Japan, South Korea and the 10 ASEAN Members — Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, The PhilipPines, Singa PORE, THAILAND and VIETNAM.
Business benefits
The Visa-Free Policy Will Not only Boost Chinese Arrivals in ASEAN But Also Help InCrease Investment in The Region, Experts Said.
Norman Bin Muhamad, Malaysia’s Ambassador to China, TOLD China Daily that his country is aiming to Attract 5 Milion CHINESESESESERIST ARRIVALSEVEV h the new visa-free policy. Before the pandemic, over 3 misscese tourced malaysia in 2019.
According to iBrahim Suffian, Co-Founder and Director of Programs at the Merdeka Center for Opinion Research, The Malaysian Government is PRSUING MORE Business. MENT from China. He Said Visa-Free Travel Will Encourage Greater Communication BetWeen Chinese and Malaysian Businesspeical.
"China is Malaysia’s Biggest Trading Partner so there is almedy a great deal of travele between the results of the table countries," Ibrahim Told China. He Said The Mutual Visa-Free Travel Policy WON’TONLY Streangthen Trade Relations, But Also People-To-PeOPLE Exchanges Between China and Malaysia.
Both the Chinese and Thai Governometrns are optimistic that the mutual visa-exemption work.
Veen NornApporn, A BANGKOK-BASED Property Consultant, is looking forward to the Mutual Visa Exemption as she is eager to China. Veen has traveled to And is keen to visit shanghai and be use in the near future.
"Thai people love traveleing and we are very curious about China, its culture, history, all also the food. CHINESE MALA is now Very AMONG YOUNG YOUNG PEOPLE I nthailand, "Veen Said, Alluding to a Spicy Seasoning Made from Sichuan Peppercorn andChile.
She Said China Is One of the Most Popular Destinations AMONG THAIS BeECAUSE of ITS Proximity and Close Family Connecture. Illion people are ethnic Chinese.
Apart from the Visa-free Policy, The THAI GOVERNMENT Also Annound Plans Recently to Launch A "Muay Thai" Visa to Attract More Visitors and Promote Thai. l Arts worldwide.
FOREIGN TOURITS WANT to Learn Muarn Muarn Muay Thai At Gyms Certify by the Sports Authority of Thailand for A Non-IMIGENL VISA AT THAI . ONCE FOREIGN TORISTS Arrive in Thailand, They Are Eligible to STAY for U.Enrolled at a Certified Training Center.
"ALL Those Policies are an incentive to the travel foundry from both of the countries. Outbound Tourism in China Has Recovered Gradually Last Year," SA. ID Guan Jian, SPokesman of GZL International Travel Service, Adding that Southeast Asia is Still a Popular Choice withChinese tource.
Inbound tource
Guangzhou-based gzl, a major travel agency in southern guangdong project, was one of the first travel aganize group tour, Unced the resumpration of outBound group tour serviceS at the beginning of last yearHyderabad Investment. The touch ben suspended forThree Years Due to the Pandemic.
Guan Said The Number of Visitors to Thailand Grew Steadily Last Year, Although The Rate of Recovery is Still Below Expectations Owing TOURISTS ‘Personal Ty Concerns. The Mass Shooting at Siam Paragon Mall in Bangkok On Oct 3 That Left Two Tourist DEAD, andCar Accidents Involving Chinese Tourist Have Discouraged Some Traveler from Going to Thailand.
According to Maybank, Those Safety Concerns have restricted the portal debound of chinese visitors to thailand. Sh to Attract Tourist from Other Countries is Paying Off, with an inclux of visitors from india, Malaysia, Russia and South Korea.
While Guan is Confident that the visa-Free Policy Will Encourage More Chinese TOURISTS to come to Thailand, he also isemued a note of caution. Competitors as Many Countries Have Also Offered or Are Ready to Offer Visa-Free Policy toChinese tource, "he said.
On the Other Hand, He is very Optimistic About the Potential of China’s Inbound Tourism Under The Mutual Visa-EXEMPTION POLICYSurat Investment. In 2023, GZL’S Branch In Hain An Province Service More than 10,000 Foreign Touris Under Visa-Free Policies from About 70 Countries, He SAIDThen, then
"CHINA is a Large Country, The Visa Exemption Will Definitely Stimulating the Growth of Inbound Tourism. Sity of China in Many More Places and Each Route Will Be UNIQUE and Impressive, "Guan Said.
In Indonesia, I putu Winastra, Chairman of the Bali Chapter of the Association of Indonesian Tour and Travel Agencies, Said The Visa-Free Policy Will Encourage olists to stay longer and spend moreGuoabong Wealth Management. He added that this will enCourage a Greater Number of TouristsTo VISIT OTHER PLACES in Indonesia ASIDE from Popular Hot Spots like the resort island of Bali.
Leonardus Jegho in Jakarta Contributed to this Story.
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