China has boosted its tourism sector with the introduction of a simplified entry status for some countries.
It is part of a bid to return to successful pre-pandemic tourism levels.
"It's true that after the period of Covid-19, the world had a tendency to turn in on itself," said Olivier Gregory, a travel website editor, based in China.
"I think that tourism, in many countries, suffered a serious blow."
Visitors queue at the Elysee Palace during "European Heritage Day" also in Paris in 2022. /Ludovic Marin/CFP
Some 97 million foreign nationals visited China in 2019 but that number plunged to just 4 million in 2022.
"I think the idea of introducing a two-week visa-free period is both a simple and efficient way to show again the attractivity of the country both for business travel and also the tourism industry," said Gregory.
According to Chinese government data, 214,000 people from six countries, including France, enjoyed visa-free entry to China in December - a 29 per cent increase on the month before.
The policy move is linked to 2024 being the year of Franco-Chinese tourism, and shows the two countries have cultural ties that are just as important as the serious geopolitical points of view discussed at presidential level.
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