Visitors holding third-country visas and plane tickets are allowed to apply for a transit without visa at airports in Beijing and Shanghai.

"We are making efforts to optimize the transit service to attract more foreign passengers," Zou said.

Since the policy was introduced, Shanghai and Beijing have seen an increased number of foreign visitors.

Beijing expects the number of annual inbound tourists to double to 10 million within the next three years as of a result of the policy, the Beijing Commission of Tourism Development said.

However, Wan Qingtao, a researcher at the South China Urban Development Institute, said Guangzhou’s visa-free policy will not have a significant impact on the local economy.

"Compared with Beijing and Shanghai, Guangzhou is not considered a sightseeing destination for foreigners," Wan said.

Guangzhou, in the heart of the prosperous Pearl River Delta region, is more of a trade and commercial city. "Still, Guangzhou will be a transit city for foreign visitors, who are more keen to tour to other cities in the Pearl River Delta," Wan said.