Foreigners' passports no longer stamped and marked with visas upon entry to Iran

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
                  / KUCINTA SETIA

According to Mahan Air and Iran's Mehr News Agency on 29 June 2019, the Iranian government announced on the same day that it would impose a visa-free entry policy for Chinese tourists.

Mehr News Agency quoted Vali Teymouri, Deputy Director of Iran's cultural heritage, crafts and tourism organization, who announced on 29 June 2019 that the cabinet has approved a visa-free entry policy for Chinese tourists. 

Vali Teymouri said, "Chinese tourists will no longer need to obtain a visa to travel to Iran.” 

According to the report, under US sanctions, Iran has taken some similar measures to attract more foreign tourists to increase its tourism income. But this is only unilateral, that is, Iranian tourists still need a visa to travel to China.

On 23 June 2019, Iranian President Rohani ordered the Minister of the Interior, Fazli, to stipulate that the visas of foreigners visiting the country will no longer be stamped and will not be marked. The Iranian Ministry of the Interior will cooperate with the Iranian Immigration Service and Customs and will not stamp any Iran records on the passports of foreigners. 

Subsequently, an Iranian cabinet spokesman said, "According to the US economic terrorism plan, the United States is trying to scare foreign tourists from going to Iran. But President Rohani issued an order today (23 June), stipulating that Iran visa stamp will not appear on the passports of visiting foreign tourists. "

According to an analyst of The Tehran Times, Rohani’s decision was considered to be conducive to encouraging foreigners not to worry about US punishment to travel to Iran.

In November 2018, Iran launched a pilot project at its chosen Tehran Khomeini International Airport to issue e-visa for people travelling to the country, without an immigration stamp to promote tourism and respond to US unilateral sanctions. It has achieved good social results. In the same year, Iran welcomed about 7.8 million foreigners, a year-on-year increase of 52.5 per cent.

On 1 July 2019, Chinese passengers onboard Mahan Air's A340-300 aircraft from Shenzhen are the first group of Chinese tourists to arrive in Tehran and benefit from Iran's visa-free policy. Mahan Air launches Shenzhen - Tehran route on this date.

Spring Airlines ventures into the hotel industry with the inauguration of Skybird Hotel

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
                  / KUCINTA SETIA

Image below : Spring Airlines' Head Office at Hangyou Hotel, Shanghai Hongqiao.

On 28 June 2019, Spring Airlines Head Office announced that it has opened a hotel in partnership with famous China express hotel chain group Home Inns on that day. The new hotel is name Skybird Hotel (嘉虹酒店). It is managed by Shanghai Tianyi Hotel Management Co., Ltd., the joint-venture between Spring Airlines and Home Inns in an investment ratio of 40 per cent and 60 per cent. The hotel joint-venture was set up on 24 October 2018. 

Skybird Hotel is located at the premises of Shanghai Hongqiao transportation hub and is converted from an original budget hotel in Shanghai Hongqiao.

Together with the ground handling agents in Shanghai Hongqiao, Skybird Hotel offers express transfers, check-in, check-out lodging and accommodation services to all passengers that arrive in Shanghai Hongqiao. It will offer city sightseeing bus services to its hotel guests.

In Skybird Hotel, Spring Airlines' air hostesses under training will be scheduled every week in future to work as hotel receptionists at Skybird Hotel. They will be named Happy Organizers.

Skybird Hotel aims to launch up to 10 hotel branches in China's airports and nearby speed railway stations in the  next three to four years ahead before venturing abroad, aiming at travelers on budget trips. It will have future presence in Spring Airlines' overseas destinations such as Hong Kong, Bangkok, Phuket, Singapore and Kota Kinabalu.

The founder of Spring Airlines, Wang Zheng Hua, said that Spring Airlines decided to venture into the hotel industry in China in partnership with Home Inns based on its subsidiary Spring Japan experience in managing two Spring hotels in Japan in partnership with Spring Tours in Japan.

Spring Airlines is founded and managed by the famous China travel agency Spring Tours as China's first low-cost airline. Together with Spring Japan, the Spring travel agency branches in China, Japan, Thailand, Skybird Hotel and the Spring Japan hotels, the airline, tourism company and hotel group is named Spring Group. 

Readers who would like to know more about Spring Airlines' hotel plans may walk in to the third and fourth levels of Spring Airlines at Hangyou Hotel (航友宾馆).