Chinese tourists can enter the country for 30 days visa-free, but Malaysian tour operators remain sceptical of how much this will help local tourism.

President Xi Jinping pledged more measures to attract foreign investors in November, Premier Li Qiang took the helm at the Central Financial Commission and China announced visa-free entry plans.

Sales of policies to mainland visitors hit HK$46.8 billion (US$6 billion) in the nine months to September, compared with HK$1 billion a year ago, according to data from the Insurance Authority.

Tour operators in Malaysia usually compete with larger agencies from China that organise prearranged, prepaid trips for their clients.

Chinese and Indian nationals may stay in Malaysia for up to 30 days visa-free, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said. Malaysia is counting on extra tourist arrivals – and their spending – to support economic growth.

The London-headquartered multibrand luxury retailer will close its doors in March, after deciding to give up its lease for 60,000 sq ft of space in the upscale mall.

Hong Kong’s shop rents are tipped to record one of the biggest increments in the Asia-Pacific region from next year until 2028, according to US-based asset manager PGIM Real Estate.

Tourism chief Kevin Yeung says 38,981 tour groups from mainland visited between January 1 and November 15 this year, with city recording growth every month.

Hong Kong’s tourist hotspot of Tsim Sha Tsui retained its ranking as the most expensive retail destination in Asia-Pacific, but slipped to third place globally, according to a survey by Cushman & Wakefield.

China’s tourism sector was hard hit by three years of zero-Covid, but in October and November, officials confirmed travellers from dozens of countries can again arrive through several visa-free schemes.

Anyone arriving in Japan from Indonesia, Nepal, Myanmar, Vietnam or the Philippines will also be required to have undergone a test for the disease.

Penang is intensifying efforts to attract Chinese medical tourists, aiming to increase revenue by offering diverse medical services and capitalising on its growing holiday destination reputation.

The Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport, that cost about US$1.1 billion is part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, was financed under a 55-year build-operate-transfer deal.

PM Srettha Thavisin said his country only wants to cooperate with Chinese police on information exchange about criminal networks that may be active in Thailand, which would boost the confidence of Chinese tourists.

The cooperation with Chinese police was discussed by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, senior police and tourism officials on Sunday as a way to draw more Chinese visitors.

Asia-Pacific airlines summit in Singapore told ‘familiar headwinds’ such as high fuel prices and international tension causing problems for aviation industry.

Manuel Marrero Cruz tells Chinese tourism representatives in Beijing the US embargo on Cuba is dampening an already dire economy.

Zeng Xiuying, 52, repeatedly tried to hand officials at Changi Airport around US$50 in cash to ‘help her’ board her flight after she and her companion were turned away for not having valid visas.

Kuok Hui Kwong opened a Xiaohongshu account in October 2021, offering an insight into her life and thoughts. If there was one valuable lesson the Shangri-la heiress learned during the pandemic, it was the importance of telling a complete and authentic story to her audience.

The recent National Day ‘golden week’ holiday saw mainland Chinese visitors flock to the city, with luxury jewellery the fastest sector to bounce back post-pandemic in the APAC region

Victims of dumping tours are rising in recent months as local tour agencies target Chinese tourists after China in August ended a group travel ban to South Korea.

Chinese tourists hit 40.3 million in the first half of 2023, down from 155 million in all of 2019, but those who travel are seen to ‘prioritise personalised travel services catering to specific interests and passions’.

Tourists from Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, India and Russia will also be issued free visas under the pilot programme, as the Indian Ocean island nation sets a target of 5 million arrivals by 2026.

As part of his country’s overall drive to enhance connectivity with China, the Turkish consul general in Hong Kong has set out estimates for a massive increase in tourism by 2030.

The Kalayaan group of islands is located more than 450km (280 miles) west of Palawan, a province facing the South China Sea.

UK-based developer Berkeley Group has leased for a month the retail space formerly occupied by Italian luxury lingerie brand La Perla and Gucci in Causeway Bay.

The number of tourist journeys increased compared with the Covid era but the daily average is below pre-pandemic levels, according to travel industry insiders.