For the past few years, tourism in China has greatly improved due to its opening and reformation. China is now experiencing a travel boom. Tourists flock to the country to experience its culture and see what it has to offer. Being the 3rd most visited country across the globe, foreign tourists numbered close to 56 million in 2010. China's income from foreign exchange in that same year amounted to US$45.8 billion. Domestic tourists, on the other hand, totaled at least 1.5 billion.Because a new middle class has emerged and movement restrictions have been eased,
According to the World Trade Organization, China is expected to become the biggest tourist nation. Business travel is also experiencing a surge. In 2013, the country granted 5 million business visas. During this year, its sales percentage from business travel reached 38%, while the United States of America and the United Kingdom had 21% and 28%, respectively. In 2009, revenue from tourism breached the $185-billion mark.
History Of Tourism in China
Prior to 1974, China only accepted selected visitors from around the world. During the term of Deng Xiaoping, it promoted its tourism in order to earn from foreign exchange. It started developing the tourism industry. Hotels were constructed, scenic and historic spots were renovated, and tourist guides were trained. Transportation facilities were upgraded to make travel more convenient. By the mid 1980s, foreign visitors were accepted in at least 250 counties and cities in China. Tourists needed to present residence permits or valid visas to enter the country. Some locations required stricter requirements from the public security department.
Languages Used In China
A lot of Chinese residents don't understand English. Mandarin is considered the standard language, although Shanghainese and Cantonese are also popularly spoken. The Chinese people in urban areas can write and read English, but they can't speak English fluently.
Obtaining Tourist Visa In China
Tourist visas can be obtained from the Chinese diplomatic missions. However, there are specific countries around the world which are visa-exempt. Macau and Hong Kong have separate visa requirements from mainland China. A resident from another country can apply for a tourist visa at the China Embassy near him. He is required to submit his passport to the China Embassy because the visa needs to be affixed in it. Actually, he doesn't need to appear in person at the embassy. He can ask a reliable person to bring his passport and retrieve it after a few days.
Macau and Hong Kong, although considered part of mainland China, have their own immigration rules. However, Chinese nationals residing in the two areas don't need a visa or passport to enter and exit China. They need an approved Home Return Permit to go to China. Valid for 10 years, this permit can be obtained from the China Travel Service. For Taiwan residents, they need a visa endorsement and a Taiwanese Compatriot Pass to visit mainland China. They can obtain both documents from the international airport or any port of entry in China upon arrival. If Taiwanese, Hong Kong, and Macau nationals are in other countries and they don't have any of the documents cited previously, they need to apply for a China Travel Document from a Chinese consulate or embassy.
Citizens of a few countries can visit China without a visa. They can go a business or a leisure trip for at most a month. But, countries in Europe and the Americas aren't included in the list. Although a visa is required to visit China, a foreign tourist may not be required a visa if he will only go to Beijing or Shanghai. Visa policies change every now and then. Therefore, anyone who wants to visit China must check with the Chinese Embassy in his country regarding visa requirements. Recently, China had mutual visa-free requirements with a lot of countries.
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