Qingdao, a coastal city in East China's Shandong province, witnesses a record number of inbound passengers from South Korea. [Photo/Guanhai News]

Qingdao, a coastal city in East China's Shandong province, has witnessed a record number of inbound passengers from South Korea, as China began extending its visa-free policies to include more countries on Nov 8.

"The visa waiver has made travel more convenient. I plan to visit Qingdao frequently to enjoy the beautiful scenery and taste the delicious food," said a South Korean tourist, excitedly.

She and her friends were eagerly looking forward to their trip to Qingdao, having already prepared a detailed itinerary to visit unique Qingdao attractions such as the Tsingtao Beer Museum, the Dabaodao tourism and leisure block, and Zhongshan Road, as well as to savor local cuisine and experience the local culture.

To make travel easier, China has decided to offer visa waivers to even more countries. On Nov 8, a visa waiver policy was offered to ordinary passport holders from Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Andorra, Monaco, Liechtenstein, and South Korea.

From Nov 8 to Dec 31, 2025, citizens of these nine countries holding ordinary passports can enter China for business, tourism, visiting relatives, or transit for up to 15 days without a visa.

Due to the physical proximity and cultural similarities between China and South Korea, the visa waiver policy is expected to attract a large number of South Korean tourists to China. As the gateway of Shandong's opening-up to the outside world, Qingdao is particularly appealing to South Korean tourists, which will help amplify the policy's dividends and unleash market potential.