Shanghai will now allow tourists to spend three days in the city without a visa. The latest move has been taken so as to cement the city’s reputation as a global tourist hot spot.
The municipal government said on Sunday that the new year is fast approaching and citizens from about 45 countries will be permitted a 72-hour visa-free stay in the administrative area of Shanghai. The citizens of countries like the United States, France, Japan and Australia will be permitted the three day visa.
The latest policy has been approved by the State Council, which comes four days after Beijing officially announced a similar program and became the first city to do so. Shanghai already has a program which allows visitors from 32 countries a 48 hour visa free stay.
Zhao Huanyan, a senior researcher at the Tourism Research Institute under the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences said, “The extra 24 hours is of great significance and will boost tourism”. The city is known for its charm, which is quite different from other cities like Beijing and Xi’an. It takes a bit longer for one to soak up the atmosphere in Shanghai and this could be one reason for the extension. The extra day will also allow people on business visits to have a productive few days, as it is the financial centre of the country.
