Guangzhou Baiyun Airport 72-hour Visa-free Transit
Guangzhou -- Guangzhou Baiyun Airport 72-hour visa-free transit policy is expected to achieve during the year of 2013, a measure that will play a leading role to enhance the development and improvement of the business environment of the travel service industry in Guangdong Province.
China Southern together with Baiyun Airport, customs and other related parties is actively striving for this policy， said Mr. Tan Wan Geng, general manager of China Southern Airlines. The so-called visa-free transit means foreign passport holders who travel from one country to another via a third country do not have to apply for transit visa and can stay in a short period of time.
Starting from 1 January 2013, Beijing and Shanghai has started 72-hour visa-free transit policy, which attract a lot of foreign tourists overnight stay travel during the transit. According to the Shanghai frontier inspection data shows that Shanghai Pudong and Hongqiao International Airport 72-hour visa-free transit visitors has exceeded thousands of people during the first two months in 2013 since January 1 the two airports conduct 72-hour visa-free transit policy for citizens of 45 countries. Beijing Tourism Development Committee also predicted that Beijing inbound tourists is expected to rise from 5 million per year to 10 million people in three years with the implementation of the visa-free policy.
When talking about the leading role of this policy, Mr. Tan Wan Geng said “As I calculated, 72 hours equivelent to three days and two nights which is enough for tourists to visit the Pearl River Delta region. So the policy will play a leading role to enhance the development and improvement of the business environment of the travel service industry in Guangdong Province. ”
Most of the major travel agencies have expressed their hope that the 72-hour visa-free transit policy will be brought into effect in Guangzhou as soon as possible. Some travel agencies are considering design tailor-made travel products on the basis of the policy.
Who will benefit from the 72-hour visa-free stay policy?
The move will bring much convenience to both tourist and businessman, who frequently flies to China or Asia, as getting a visa can normally take up to two weeks. Well know as the south gate of China, this policy may also enhance the status of Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport as an international air hub. We can anticipate that the policy will bring more inbound visitors to Guangzhou in upcoming days, especially from transit part.