Cuba offers visa-free entry for travellers from China
Chinese passport holders will be able to enter Cuba without a visa this month as direct flights resume between the two countries.
Cuban Tourism Minister Juan Carlos Garcia announced the visa-free policy at the Cuban International Tourism Fair held at the seaside resort of Cayo Coco island on the weekend, saying China would also be the event’s “guest of honour” next year.
State news agency Xinhua quoted Garcia as saying the policy would come into effect this month and direct flights between China and Cuba would resume on May 17, after being suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Yesterday, searches for hotels in Cuba and flights to the country on online travel agency Ctrip soared after the announcement, according to Shanghai-based news outlet The Paper.
Ctrip vice-president Qin Jing said the distance and cost of travelling to Cuba meant it had not been a popular destination for mainland tourists but its unique cultural and natural landscape would have strong appeal.
“With this visa exemption and the recent opening or resumption of direct flights from China to Mexico, Brazil, Cuba, and other Latin American destinations, the time and cost for tourists are expected to significantly decrease,” The Paper quoted Qin as saying.
China is Cuba’s largest trade partner, with bilateral trade amounting to some US$862 million last year.
The announcement came at the end of China’s five-day “golden week” Labour Day break, which started on May 1.
CCTV reported more people were heading overseas for the holiday, with the number of bookings for international flights last Wednesday 20 per cent higher than at the same time in 2019 before the pandemic.
Europe and the Middle East were among the favoured destinations, according to the state broadcaster, but tickets were in particularly high demand for countries with visa-free schemes with China, such as Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Georgia and Kazakhstan, it said.
Over the past six months, China has struck several mutual visa-free deals with other countries to encourage tourism and increase exchanges.
In a report last month, ForwardKeys, a travel forecaster that analyses air ticketing, travel agency and other industry data, said: “Relaxed visa requirements play a significant role in attracting Chinese tourists.”
But its China market analyst Nancy Dai said other factors “like safety concerns and flight connectivity also play a crucial role” when booking a holiday destination.