China will ease visa restrictions for people visiting from the United States, the country’s latest effort to attract foreign travellers since reopening its borders earlier this year.
Starting January 1, American tourists will no longer need to submit round-trip air tickets, proof of hotel reservations, itineraries or invitations to China, according to a notice posted online Friday by the Chinese Embassy in Washington.
The simplified application process is intended to “further facilitate people-to-people exchanges between China and the United States,” the notice said.
The move comes as China has struggled to rejuvenate its tourism sector after three years of strict pandemic measures, which included mandatory quarantines for all arrivals. While those restrictions were lifted earlier this year, international travellers have been slow to return.
