Ni hao, Singapore: China’s Lunar New Year holidaymakers revel in visa-free travel
- Visa waiver makes city state more accessible but early signs suggest Chinese tourists are not so interested in luxury shopping
- Bookings for the Southeast Asian destination are up but not yet at the levels seen before the pandemic
Under the agreement, travellers can now enjoy visa-free stays in either country for up to 30 days, extending the amount of time Singaporeans can spend in mainland China and removing a previous entry visa requirement for mainland Chinese visitors to Singapore.
The Southeast Asian city state, long popular with Chinese tourists, is hoping the agreement can give a further boost to its economy.
Early indicators suggest the visa waiver may already be yielding results but the lack of obvious activity at luxury boutiques point to a shift in spending among tourists.
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Angel, from Yunnan province in southwest China, and her family were among the visitors who made the trip over the holiday.
