CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- To boost the high-quality growth of the inbound tourism sector in Chongqing and reduce the manpower and time expenses for travel agencies, the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Culture and Tourism, in collaboration with the Entry-Exit Administration Bureau of the Chongqing Municipal Public Security Bureau, has jointly launched the one-stop online application for port visas and held an online press conference on July 10

The application is part of the Affordable Cultural Travel in Chongqing event. It was announced during the press conference that the enterprise-side application is anticipated to be accessible on Yukuaiban within this week, and the government-side application will be launched on Yukuaizheng by next week in Chongqing.

The one-stop online port visa application utilizes OCR technology to collect passport information, substituting manual input with technological means, and enables users to log in via the internet and fill in details of tourist groups arriving at ports of entry. The whole process is accomplished online, achieving one-stop port group visa applications. The application has already undergone pilot testing in some travel agencies and has received favorable feedback.

“This application will significantly improve the efficiency of visa processing for inbound tourists,” said Sun Yong, the vice president of Baosheng Travel Group. He added that business partners, tour groups, or individual tourists worldwide can now conveniently complete the visa application and approval processes through this online platform without the hassle of complex paperwork and long waiting times associated with traditional applications. This will save travel agencies much time and effort in receiving international visitors and enhance cooperation and travel experiences.

Recently, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council jointly issued Measures for Releasing Tourism Consumption Potential and Promoting High-quality Development of the Tourism Industry. In addition, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, in collaboration with the People's Bank of China and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has also introduced a series of policies to overcome the bottlenecks and difficulties in inbound tourism., such as the restoration of the 24/72/144-hour visa-free transit policy and the provision of visa-free access for international cruise travel groups, thereby continuously facilitating inbound tourism.

After implementing these measures, the number of foreign tourists coming to China and their enthusiasm have steadily increased. In 2024, more than 80,000 overseas tourists entered China through the Chongqing port, a 360% increase compared to 2023, thanks to the optimized port visa application process and visa-free policies for certain countries.

Next, the Chongqing Municipal Cultural and Tourism Commission will collaborate with the Entry-Exit Administration Bureau of the Chongqing Municipal Public Security Bureau to further develop the cooperation mechanism in entry-exit cultural tourism. They will comprehensively upgrade the online service application, continuously optimize the functional modules of the one-stop online port visa application, and expedite its widespread application across Chongqing. This will save the time for submitting paperwork and further reduce the certificate issuance time from 7 days to 3 days. (Translated by Yuki, Fathom Language Limited)