On the 10th, the National Immigration Administration announced that the visa free policy for tourist groups from ASEAN countries entering Xishuangbanna, Yunnan will be implemented from today onwards. According to the announcement, tourist groups of 2 or more people from 10 ASEAN countries, including Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia, who hold ordinary passports and are received by domestic travel agencies in China, can enter and exit the country as a whole without visa at Xishuangbanna Gasa International Airport Port, Mohan Railway Port, and Mohan Highway Port. The activity scope is within the administrative area of Xishuangbanna Prefecture, Yunnan Province, and the stay time does not exceed 6 days. Li Qian, Director of the Immigration Department of Yunnan Panda International Travel Agency Co., Ltd., told Global Times reporters on the 10th that inbound tourists in Yunnan mainly come from ASEAN countries, and the latest policies will benefit border tourism. One hour after the release of the visa free policy, the popularity of searching for Xishuangbanna among users from ASEAN countries on Ctrip's overseas platform increased by 37% month on month. Since the beginning of this year, the number of tourist orders from ASEAN countries to Xishuangbanna has increased by over 2.5 times year-on-year. "ASEAN countries are closer to Xishuangbanna, and regional transportation has become more convenient after the opening of the China Laos railway." Zhou Zhanfeng, a professional in the field of immersive tourism, told Global Times reporters on the 10th. Yang Jinsong, a scholar from the China Tourism Research Institute, also analyzed that Xishuangbanna not only has air ports, but also road and railway ports, with abundant transportation modes, which makes Xishuangbanna's visa free policy more flexible and convenient to implement. Zhou Zhanfeng mentioned that previously, China implemented visa free policies for Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and Brunei, and the new policy will cover more ASEAN countries. Yang Jinsong believes that this policy not only has a positive impact on China's tourism market, but may also play an important role in tourism diplomacy and relations with ASEAN countries. At present, this policy is still in its early stages, and in the future, more regions and cities may join similar open policies to further promote exchanges and cooperation between China and Southeast Asia. In recent years, China has continuously optimized policies such as port visas, transit visa free, and regional entry visa free. Data shows that in 2024, 20.115 million visa free foreigners will enter China at all ports, up 112.3% year on year. According to data from third-party platforms, the number of foreign tourists visiting China during the Chinese New Year of the Snake has increased by 150% compared to 2024, setting a new high. Dante, an American traveling in China during the Spring Festival, told the Global Times that when he walked on the streets of China, he felt the thick and lively atmosphere of the Spring Festival. Dante learned about many interesting traditional customs. Unfortunately, the time for this trip is not enough. I hope to explore China more deeply next time, "he said. (New Society)