Tourist visa waiver arrangements between CCP China, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia

Research, editing : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA

Image of Changi Airport Terminal 2 passengers on the way to the Immigration Hall : Researcher's Picture

News (1)

Tourist visa waiver arrangement between China and Thailand

On 28 January 2024, CCP China and Thailand signs a mutual visa exemption agreement. The agreement takes effect from 1 March 2024. 

News (2)

Singapore’s tourist popularity surges after mutual visa exemption

On 25 January 2024, CCP China and Singapore signs another visa waiver relevant agreement in Beijing, which takes effect on 9 February 2024 (Lunar New Year's Eve). By then, people from both sides holding ordinary passports can enter the other country without a visa to engage in tourism, family visits, business and other private affairs, and they can stay up to 30 days without visa.

So far, all three countries on Southeast Asia’s prime tourist routes, “Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand”, have exempted Chinese tourists from visas.

News (3)

Singapore undergoes tourism boom

On the Ctrip platform, Singapore real-time search popularity is rising rapidly. Ten minutes after the news was announced, the popularity of Singapore-related tourism products increased by more than 30% month-on-month, and has continued to rise. At the same time, the enthusiasm of Singaporean tourists to enter China has also quickly ignited. Trip.com data shows that the search interest of Singaporean tourists searching for Chinese keywords has increased by more than 20% month-on-month. So far this year, the number of orders for travel products booked by Singaporean tourists into CCP China has increased by 66% month-on-month.

Qunar data shows that after the news was announced, the search volume for Singapore air tickets and hotels increased significantly. Among them, the search volume for Singapore hotels increased four times compared with before the release and is still growing. Singapore is the fifth most popular destination for the Spring Festival. From the point of departure point, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Beijing, Hangzhou, and Xiamen are popular departure places. Singapore’s popular hotel business districts are Sentosa, Marina Bay, Merlion Park, and Clarke Quay. .

Tongcheng Travel data shows that within half an hour after the news was released, searches related to Singapore on the Tongcheng Travel platform increased by 340% compared with the same period the day before. Search volume for air tickets to and from Singapore during the Spring Festival holiday increased by more than five times compared with the same period the day before. Up to now, the users on the Tongcheng Travel platform who are most concerned about Singapore-related tourism information are mainly from coastal provinces and cities such as Guangdong, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Shandong, and Zhejiang.

During the upcoming Spring Festival holiday, Singapore is also an important outbound travel destination for Chinese tourists. Ctrip data shows that as of January 24, the number of orders from Chinese tourists to Singapore during the 2024 Spring Festival holiday has increased by more than 14 times year-on-year.

News (4)

"Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand" are visa-free countries for all Chinese tourists

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on January 25 that the China-Singapore visa exemption agreement came into effect before the Spring Festival of the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese Lunar Calendar. It is undoubtedly a New Year gift to the people of the two countries and will definitely further promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and New Zealand. Promote the continuous development of China-New Zealand relations and cooperation in various fields.

According to the relevant person in charge of Tongcheng Research Institute, Singapore is one of China’s popular outbound travel destinations, and the official implementation of the mutual visa exemption policy between the two countries will be conducive to the development of tourism between China and Singapore. Up to now, all three countries on Southeast Asia’s prime tourist routes, “Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand”, have exempted Chinese tourists from visas. In the future, it will be more convenient for Chinese tourists to travel to Southeast Asia.

So far, China has concluded mutual visa exemption agreements covering different passport types with 157 countries, reached agreements or arrangements on simplified visa procedures with 44 countries, and achieved comprehensive mutual visa exemption with 22 countries including Singapore, Maldives, and Kazakhstan. In addition, more than 60 countries and regions offer visa-free or visa-on-arrival convenience to Chinese citizens. The convenience of Chinese citizens from mainland China traveling abroad has been greatly improved, and the "gold content" of Chinese passports will become increasingly high. (Sources: Comprehensive CCTV news client, China News Network)