Recently, the National Immigration Administration announced that the stay duration for foreign nationals eligible for visa-free transit has been extended to 240 hours (10 days). Additionally, 21 ports of entry and exit have been added for visa-free transit individuals, further expanding the allowed areas for visa-free transit travelers. Starting from December 2023, China has implemented a unilateral visa-free entry policy for citizens of 38 countries, covering most European nations as well as Japan and South Korea. As one of the first cities to adopt the visa-free transit policy, Nanjing is actively planning to optimize its inbound tourism action plan. The city is fully committed to driving inbound tourism to new heights and implementing the policy to bolster its development growth.

Over the past two years, Nanjing’s tourism sector has leveraged its rich and integrated resources and precisely targeted promotional efforts. The competent authorities and businesses have collaborated to deeply explore key inbound tourism markets, expand the network of exchanges and cooperation, promote the implementation of measures facilitating inbound tourism, and optimize reward and support policies. Multifaceted strategies have yielded results: From January to November 2024, 515,000 inbound overnight tourists visited Nanjing, representing a 68.7% year-on-year increase; and tourism foreign exchange value reached 720 million dollars, a 15% growth compared to the previous year. The Nanjing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism invited over a hundred travel agents, media representatives, key opinion leaders (KOLs) as well as travel agents from major inbound markets in Europe, America, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan to gather in Nanjing to discuss the development of inbound tourism through an event themed Bringing Nanjing to the World in November. In December, several key groups, including well-known Australian travel bloggers, Hong Kong inbound FAM trips, a study tour group from Tong Mei Road Government Primary School (HK) with 100-odd teachers and students, a 70-person incentive tour group from Singapore, and a study tour group from Kyonggi University (South Korea), visited Nanjing. The unique charm of this city continues to attract global tourists.

Stroll along the ancient city walls to feel the pulse of history and culture, enjoy a nighttime cruise along the Qinhuai River to experience its vibrant atmosphere, appreciate the blend of art and nature atop Niushoushan, immerse in traditional craftsmanship at intangible cultural heritage workshops, and indulge in the cultural elegance of museums… Nanjing offers a wealth of experiences for inbound tourists seeking a deep cultural journey. The World Tourism Alliance’s 2023-2024 Cross-border Tourism Consumption Trends highlights that the enthusiasm of inbound tourists to explore the diverse cultural experiences of Chinese cities is on the rise. Among the popular attractions for inbound tourists, the Ming Tomb in Nanjing and other historical and cultural sites are highly favored. With the relaxation of the visa-free policy, the barriers to foreign tourists for deep cultural experiences in China have been further eased. Undoubtedly, this will provide a significant boost to Nanjing’s inbound tourism market. To fully harness this momentum, the competent departments, along with industry stakeholders, are actively planning the following eight initiatives.

Innovative Products for Collaborative Progress

The Nanjing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism will closely partner with leading inbound tourism companies, such as CITS, Guilin Tang Dynasty Tours Co., Ltd., and Ctrip, to deeply explore Nanjing’s unique cultural and tourism resources. The focus will be on long-haul markets in Europe, North America and Australia. High-quality travel packages will be carefully crafted to meet international demands, while sustainable product marketing and customer attraction strategies will be developed.

Revitalize Intangible Cultural Heritage for In-Depth Experiences

Nanjing will establish experiential bases for the inheritance of intangible cultural heritage (ICH), inviting ICH masters to offer on-site teaching, allowing visitors to experience the making of traditional crafts firsthand. Cultural tours will be organized to showcase Nanjing’s intangible cultural heritage, giving tourists the chance to appreciate its unique charm and enrich their travel experience. Additionally, integrating ICH into cultural and creative products will bring distinctive handicrafts into souvenirs, allowing overseas visitors to take home a “memory of Nanjing”.

Diverse Promotion for Enhancing Influence

Multilingual promotional materials for Nanjing’s culture and tourism will be created and distributed on international flights, overseas social media platforms and online travel agencies (OTAs). Regular posts showcasing the city’s beautiful scenery, food and cultural activities will be made on overseas social media, with interactive online events to boost engagement. International internet celebrities and travel experts will be invited to Nanjing to share their experiences on social platforms, further enhancing the city’s global cultural and tourism profile.

Digital Empowerment for Precise Marketing

Big data will be used to analyze the consumption habits and preferences of inbound tourists. Through personalized recommendation engines, Nanjing’s cultural and tourism information will be precisely pushed to potential visitors via multilingual official websites, overseas social media platforms and mobile APPs, attracting more tourists to the city.

Convenient Payments for Journey

Nanjing will continue to optimize payment measures by ensuring that international credit card payments are applied at tourist attractions, hotels and restaurants. Mobile payment options will be promoted, and foreign currency exchange services will be established, ensuring a smooth payment process and enhancing the convenience of tourism consumption.

Enhanced Services for Talent Development

Projects for improving foreign language services will be implemented, which will ensure accurate and standardized foreign language signage at public spaces such as tourist attractions, hotels and transportation hubs. Training programs for tour guides and service staff will be strengthened to enhance cross-cultural communication skills. Professional volunteer teams will be established to provide multilingual services, including guiding, translation and emergency assistance, at key locations. Collaboration among multiple departments will also be fostered to optimize the overall experience for tourists, including customs clearance, communication, shopping and payment processes.

Deepen Exchanges and Expand Cooperation

Nanjing will establish regular cooperation mechanisms with organizations such as the World Tourism Alliance, the World Tourism Cities Federation and the Pacific Asia Travel Association, as well as leading inbound tourism enterprises in China. These partnerships will enable sustainable efforts to invite more international travel agents to visit Nanjing and explore the city’s offerings, showcasing the attractions of the ancient city. The government will continue to foster government-business collaboration, organizing more cultural tourism enterprises to participate in key international tourism exhibitions and engage in long-term international outreach.

Regional Collaboration for Mutual Growth

Nanjing will deepen cooperation with key port cities such as Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou, engaging in precise product promotion and advertising, and jointly developing the inbound tourism market. Collaborative cross-regional routes will be launched with neighboring cities to attract transit tourists to explore the Yangtze River Delta. Through cooperation, it aims to strengthen the inbound tourism industry and pave the way for high-quality, sustainable development.