Travel News

The country opening up to the world for travel again – and why you should go

Simon Calder’s Travel

Five years on from the World Health Organisation’s declaration of a global pandemic, the world has largely moved on from the stringent travel restrictions of the Covid-19 era. Yet, one country, remained notably inaccessible: China.

Until recently, securing a visa for travel to the country presented a significant hurdle for British travellers, a slow and costly process that deterred many.

However, the landscape of travel to China has shifted significantly for UK passport holders. New regulations introduced this year have streamlined entry requirements, permitting visa-free transit for those travelling onward to another destination.

This change marks a significant easing of restrictions, opening up opportunities for travellers to experience China, even if briefly, without the complexities of visa applications.

Under new rules, UK travellers can visit China visa-free as long as they are in transit to another country.

Shanghai’s skyline

Shanghai’s skyline

What this means in practise is that trip twinning China with another foreign destination poses a stress-free solution to exploring the destination. Only a connecting ticket with the confirmed departure date and seat number leaving for a third country or region within 144 hours is required.

“This update is great news for UK travellers, including families, as previously China’s visa requirement included an in-person application at the embassy in London for each person travelling, including children, which was both time-consuming, and costly, at around £140pp,” says founder and managing director of family travel specialists Stubborn Mule Travel, Liddy Pleasants.

“Some restrictions remain, but the update means that visas for UK citizens to visit China are no longer required where the stay is for 10 days or less in mainland China, where that visit is a transit stay en-route to another country, including Hong Kong”.

A Hutong in Beijing

A Hutong in Beijing

She believes this change along with an increasing focus on China will lead to more bookings to the destination. Additionally, prices haven’t risen significantly since 2020 and plenty of flight options are available, making a two-week holiday in China more comparable with the cost of other Asia destinations such as Thailand and Vietnam. An ever-expanding network of routes covered by the…

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