Qingdao is well-known for its soft sand, flat beach and twisting coastline. The city has started to offer 72-hour visa-free entry for international transit passengers as of Nov 16, 2015, as a move to boost tourism and business. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Qingdao, an eastern coastal city of Shandong province, started to offer 72-hour visa-free entry for international transit passengers on Monday as a move to boost tourism and business.

Travelers from 51 countries including France, the United States, Italy, Brazil, Australia, South Korea, Japan and Singapore may enter without visas under the policy.

They can stay 72-hours within the Shandong province after they have entered China via the Qingdao International Airport with third-country visas and confirmed plane tickets to leave for another country within the time limit.

Han Shouxin, an official with Qingdao municipal government, said on Monday that the policy boosts the city's inbound tourism, commercial activity and international cultural exchanges.

"The move is essential to the further economic and social development of Shandong province. It pushes forward its inbound tourism as well as various sorts of international business cooperation," he said.

Three days is ample time for traveling around Qingdao and conducting business talks, Han added.

The same visa-free policy is already in place in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Kunming, Chengdu, Chongqing, Shenyang, Dalian and Guilin.