Overseas travel agencies bullish on China's inbound tourism

Surging interest

He Laiqiang, who runs the travel consultation service Sada International in Osaka, Japan, said the policy to resume and also extend visa-free entry is long overdue and will help open up the Japanese outbound tourism market.

China has already done a good job in promoting attractions such as the Wulingyuan scenic area in Zhangjiajie, Hunan province, the Silk Road, and pandas in Sichuan province, he said, adding that many young Japanese have a strong interest in visiting the country.

In addition, many Japanese companies have run businesses in China since its opening-up, with a number of their nationals living in the country before returning home.

"Generally, they got to stay for two years before their replacement would arrive, and those people have been wanting to come back and revisit China," said He, who has worked in the tourism industry in Japan since the 1980s.

The visa-free policy will save Japanese travelers from not only the visa application fees, but also the complex procedure involved. "There was a lot to fill in on the application form, and many had to hire a professional agency to get things done," He said.

Now that the Chinese government has smoothed the way, He said the key is to look at more travel routes.

He said he has developed a better understanding of Chinese travel products through meeting local tour operators, who he hopes to introduce to his clients in Japan.

Irina Antonova, a senior executive at Russian Tour, believes more tour guides who speak Russian are needed in China, especially at popular smaller destinations.

"The number of our guests is increasing every year, and they feel their Chinese experiences are increasingly comfortable, and the services are getting better," said Antonova, who started bringing Russian travelers to China in 2020.

She assisted more than 3,000 travelers to visit China last year, many of whom said they enjoyed interactions with Chinese people as well as the vast natural landscape.

"They loved arrangements where they could cook and eat with the locals, or engage in a handicraft class," she said.

"We've already got bookings for next year from more than 1,000 people," she added.

Antonova wants to collaborate with local travel agencies to create diverse tours tailored to Russian travelers.