Authorities implement new plan to increase travel, promote culture

Tourism authorities in Guangdong province have planned to develop high-end short tours for foreigners, as the provincial capital has become the third Chinese city to allow foreign visitors to stay for 72 hours without a visa.

Sources with the Civil Aviation Administration of China said the State Council, China’s cabinet, has approved a 72-hour visa-free transit policy for Guangzhou, an important aviation transport center in South China.

Insiders said the policy will greatly boost tourism in Guangdong and the local economy.

The tourism authority in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong, has identified some routes focusing on famous sites.

The authority has also called on local tourism agencies to develop tailored routes for foreign visitors.

The visa-free policy will greatly boost local tourism and promote the local culture, the Guangzhou Tourism Administration said.

About 2,000 foreign passengers transit each day via China Southern Airlines at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, according to the tourism authority.

Zou Yingping, a media officer at China Southern Airlines, said it has not been announced when the policy will take effect.

"But we have already prepared for the policy. And we have started to study the possibilities of developing some products that are tailored to foreign visitors," Zou told.

Sources with the southern airline carrier said it has asked some managers to learn from the experiences in Shanghai, where the 72-hour visa-free policy took effect earlier this year.

Since Jan 1, travelers from 45 countries can make 72-hour visa-free visits in Beijing and Shanghai.