Visa-free policy boosts number of Russian visitors to Shandong

Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport has seen a significant rise in the number of Russian visitors since the introduction of a 30-day visa-free policy on Sept 15 for ordinary Russian passport holders.

As a major gateway on China's eastern coast, Qingdao operates the Shandong province's only direct flight to Moscow.

The visa-free policy is expected to attract more Russian business delegations and tourists, boosting the local economy and export-oriented service sectors, said the airport administration.

Data from the local exit and entry border inspection authority show that more than 22,000 trips have been made between Qingdao and Russia so far this year, including over 12,000 trips by Russian nationals, an increase of 91 percent compared to the same period last year.

The airport plans to further optimize international transfer services, expand multilingual signage, and streamline customs clearance procedures to build a more convenient travel corridor between China and Russia.