In order to boost its slow-moving travel and tourism sector, China has allowed visa-free entry for foreign tour groups that travel to the East Asian nation via cruise ships. The policy that came into effect on May 15 is an attempt by the Chinese government to boost international visitors to the nation.

Under the new policy, tour groups who travel to China through cruise ships will be able to enter and, therefore, stay in the country for some 15 days without a visa, as per the National Immigration Administration.

Tour groups will be allowed to enter through 13 ports in China. Some of these are Shanghai, Qingdao, Dalian and Haikou, told a senior official with the immigration administration at a press conference in Beijing. Tour groups that meet the requirements will be accepted and managed by local travel firms, and they will be permitted to visit Beijing, the country’s capital, as well as coastal areas, according to Mao.

“The visa-free entry policy for foreign tour groups on cruise ships will provide policy support for the development of the cruise industry,” Mao said. “It will also help attract more foreign tourists to China and provide more convenient channels for people-to-people exchanges between China and other countries.”

The current drive follows a series of legislative initiatives that China has implemented since late last year in an effort to draw in more foreign tourists. These include the ability to enter some European and Asian nations—including Singapore—without a visa. In January, the nation’s first cruise ship built in-house made its debut, providing local visitors with additional choices for international travel in a setting that is still familiar to them.

In March, China also adopted a visa-free policy for Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium and Luxembourg that will be valid from March 14, 2024, to November 30, 2024. Ordinary passport holders from these nations are allowed to enter China visa-free for purposes of business, tourism, family visits or transit and will be allowed to be in the country for 15 days. However, those who do not meet the visa-free policy requirements from these countries still need to obtain visas before entering China.

However, it can be difficult for China to attract overseas visitors amid a weakening economy and lowered demand for travel in Asia’s biggest economy.

An Australian airline called Qantas Airways Ltd. very recently suspended flight operations between Sydney and Shanghai, and instead added more services to Singapore and Bengaluru in India. Low demand for travel between Australia and China was referred to as the main reason for the halt by the airline.