$1,000 discount per person on 8-day U.S. tour
Beijing and Shanghai, Nov. 18, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- During the APEC meeting, the United States announced that the business and tourism visa validity for Chinese citizens would be extended to 10 years. Recently, multiple countries have introduced new visa policies, which is undoubtedly great news for Chinese citizens planning to travel abroad. Yu Dundei, founder and CEO of Tuniu, China’s leading online leisure travel company, stated that outbound travel is in a period of rapid growth, outpacing domestic tourism, and the new U.S. visa policy will drive a significant increase in travel to the United States.
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Relaxed visas spur U.S. travel as outbound trends become more prominent
A Tuniu representative said that compared to the previous one-year multiple-entry validity, the new U.S. visa policy extending to 10 years of multiple entries will save travelers who frequently travel the hassle of repeatedly applying for visas, offering great convenience and thus encouraging repeated visits to the U.S. for business and leisure. Currently, compared to Asia, fewer travelers choose long-haul destinations in Europe and America, but these regions show growing potential and increasing popularity.
According to relevant data, in 2013, Chinese outbound travelers exceeded 98 million, with a larger proportion traveling for business than leisure, and overseas spending reached $129 billion. In both the number of outbound travelers and tourism consumption, China ranked first globally. It is expected that in the next five years, the number of Chinese outbound leisure tourists will exceed 500 million. Yu Dundei noted that China’s overall outbound travel is in a phase of rapid growth, and this new policy aligns with travel trends, benefiting the tourism industries of both China and the United States. The continuously growing outbound demand will bring unprecedented opportunities to the tourism sector.
Tuniu has accumulated years of experience and advantages in outbound travel, with leading service and sales capabilities for complex and high-value products, helping the company expand its lead in outbound tourism. In recent years, the Americas, including the United States and Canada, have become one of the favorite long-haul outbound destinations for Chinese consumers, with booking numbers steadily rising.
Exclusive discounted routes in the Americas offered during Tuniu’s 8th anniversary promotion
The extension of the U.S. business and tourism visa policy has prompted travel agencies to ramp up their offerings of U.S.-bound travel routes. A Tuniu representative said that since Nov. 12, the number of users inquiring about U.S. destinations has noticeably increased, with most users showing the greatest concern about visa validity periods. This policy has effectively boosted user inquiries and bookings for U.S. and related country travel routes. From Nov. 12 to 16, U.S.-bound bookings increased nearly twofold compared to the same period last year. In terms of travel styles, with longer visa validity, travel between China and the U.S. has become more convenient, leading more users to prefer higher-quality in-depth tours. Compared to traditional group tours, more users favor semi-independent travel and “flight + local tour” options. Starting on Nov. 24 during Tuniu’s “8th Anniversary Promotion,” the platform will also launch a wealth of rich and high-quality value-for-money U.S. and even Americas-bound travel routes, such as “9-day Self-Guided Tour in Miami and Orlando, USA,” “12-day In-depth Western U.S. Tour,” and “11-day Southeastern U.S. Disney Tour,” all of which are currently seeing very strong booking interest.
From Nov. 24 to Nov. 28, Tuniu’s “8th Anniversary Promotion” will feature several value-packed routes. For example, the “8-day Western U.S. Tour” local tour route, normally priced around 3,600 yuan, will offer a $1,000 discount per person for those who book during the promotion and select specified departure dates. Travelers can choose their own flights to the destination and explore the most renowned cities on the U.S. West Coast, including Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Francisco, and San Diego, enjoying the unique charm of the region.
Having a U.S. business and tourism visa also means that Chinese citizens can enter countries such as Mexico, the Philippines, Panama, and Bermuda visa-free. With the implementation of the new U.S. visa policy, traveling to these destinations has also become more convenient. Currently, Chinese citizens can already enter 12 countries visa-free, while 37 countries offer visa-on-arrival for Chinese nationals. Countries such as France, Italy, and the UK have also simplified the visa process for Chinese citizens. During the APEC meeting, Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced it would relax the conditions for issuing multiple-entry visas to individual Chinese tourists, with the new visa policy expected to take effect in spring 2015. Indonesia has announced that from 2015, it will waive visa fees for visitors from China, Japan, South Korea, Russia, and Australia. Industry insiders believe that multiple countries’ visa facilitation measures for Chinese tourists are also driven by China’s huge outbound travel potential, which can bring significant economic benefits. The "value" of the Chinese passport is steadily increasing.