Norway is the latest country to gain visa-free access to China.

In June, Poland, Australia and New Zealand were also granted unrestricted entry to the country until the end of 2025.

Since the start of 2024, the scheme has been announced in stages, with 11 other European countries and Malaysia also gaining visa-free access. It aims to encourage more people to visit China for business and tourism, and promote exchanges between Chinese citizens and foreign nationals.

Citizens of Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland are among the European countries allowed to enter China without a visa until the end of next year. Polish citizens joined the list on 1 July.

It is not yet clear when the policy will be open to Norwegians.

The aim is “to facilitate the high-quality development of Chinese and foreign personnel exchanges and high-level opening up to the outside world,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a briefing on the initial announcement made in November.

Visa-free entry will be granted for up to 15 days in the trial programme.

International travel to China is still bouncing back

China’s strict pandemic measures, which included required quarantines for all arrivals, discouraged many people from visiting for nearly three years. The restrictions were lifted early last year, but international travel has yet to bounce back to pre-pandemic levels.

China previously allowed citizens of Brunei, Japan and Singapore to enter without a visa but suspended that after the COVID-19 outbreak. It resumed visa-free entry for Brunei and Singapore in July but has not done so for Japan.

In 2023, China recorded 35.5 million entries and exits by foreigners, according to immigration statistics. That compares to 97.7 million for all of 2019, the last year before the pandemic.

The government has been seeking foreign investment to help boost a sluggish economy, and some businesspeople have been coming for trade fairs and meetings, including Tesla’s Elon Musk and Apple’s Tim Cook. Foreign tourists are still a rare sight compared to before the pandemic.

How else is China simplifying travel for Europeans?

Last year saw a surge in interest in China as a tourist destination among Europeans.

Data from online travel agency Trip.com showed a 663 per cent increase in overall bookings from Europe to China compared to 2022, and an almost 29 per cent increase on 2019.

The United Kingdom and Germany were among the top 10 sources of inbound travellers to China globally, the data shows.

Shanghai remains the most popular destination among Europeans with its alluring blend of modernity and tradition, followed by Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

Sanya, a beachside city on the southern end of China’s Hainan Island, and Chengdu – the capital of southwestern China’s Sichuan province – are emerging destinations.

Beyond it’s new visa-free schemes, the country is further encouraging inbound tourism by promoting cultural and historical attractions in partnership with Trip.com. China is also enhancing tourism infrastructure by investing in technology, travel guides and e-payment systems.

The UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) will soon apply to visitors from from Europe, Australia, the US and Canada.

It requires tourists to gain permission to enter the country as part of plans to fully digitise its borders by 2025.

The Home Office began rolling out the scheme last November for nationals of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

It has now been announced when it will apply to other nationalities – including Europeans.

Here’s everything we know so far.

When will EU travellers need to apply for an ETA to visit the UK?

Visitors from Qatar were the first to be able to apply for the UK’s new ETA scheme, starting on 15 November 2023.

Visitors from the Gulf Cooperation Council states and Jordan were the next group from February 2024.

Previously, nationals of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates could apply for a single-use Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW) instead of a visa to enter the UK. This cost £30 (€34.30) and was valid for up to six months.

The ETA scheme has now entirely replaced the EVW scheme, offering a lower cost option with multi-entry validity, according to the UK government.

This week, the Home Office announced that the ETA will open up to all other nationalities, except Europeans, this November and be required for entry from 8 January 2025.

Europeans, meanwhile, will be required to have an ETA for travel from 2 April 2025, with applications opening up in March.

How do I apply for an ETA to enter the UK?

Once the scheme applies to your country, you will need to fill in an online application form that will grant you permission to enter the UK. Most visitors will be able to apply using a mobile app with a swift decision on their application, according to the government.

You’ll need a valid biometric passport from an eligible country, travel details, an email address and a credit or debit card. You will also have to answer a set of suitability questions.

Like the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) in the US, a small fee is attached to the application process. This will be set at £10 (€11.66).

Travellers are advised to apply at least few days before their planned journey and approval should be granted within 72 hours.

Will I need a visa to enter the UK?

The ETA isn’t a visa but it does grant permission to enter the country.

All visitors who currently don’t have to apply for a visa will need to get an ETA before they travel. This includes those who do not currently need to make any form of application to visit to the UK – meaning US, Canadian, Australian and European citizens will require an ETA even for short stays.

If you don’t apply before your trip, you could be fined. UK and Irish passport holders won’t need an ETA.

Travellers from countries that don’t have visa-free entry agreements with the UK will still have to apply for the correct visa and an ETA.

Your ETA will be valid for up to six months or two years with a valid UK visa. This means you won’t have to apply for new permission to travel if you visit the UK again within the valid time period.

Why is the UK introducing the ETA scheme?

The ETA is part of the UK’s plan to digitise its borders at UK airports by the end of 2025.

Some passengers may be able to enter the country without using an electronic passport gate or speaking to a Border Force officer. Instead, they will likely have to upload a photo of themselves and submit it to the Home Office before they travel.

The scheme is intended to reduce queues at the border, “helping to speed up legitimate journeys to the UK”.

Facial recognition technology could be used to make these “contactless corridors” possible, British newspaper The Times reports. It would require international travellers to submit biographic and biometric details, like photos of their faces through the new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme before they fly.

A new high-speed train is set to link Barcelona and Malaga in under six hours.

Launching this winter, the north-south route is an extension of Iryo’s Barcelona to Seville line, which debuted last December.

The new service from the low-cost private rail operator will compete with Renfe’s existing premier AVE service, expanding the timetable while reducing ticket prices.

With trains departing daily, travellers can easily take in Barcelona’s Gaudí architecture and Malaga’s beautiful south coast beaches in one trip.

How much will Iryo’s Barcelona-Malaga service cost?

Tickets for Iryo’s Barcelona-Madrid trains are already on sale, showing significant savings for passengers wanting to travel between Catalonia and Andalusia.

Currently, they start from as little as €24 for a single in December. A direct train on similar dates with AVE currently costs from €62.

AVE’s services take between six hours and six hours and 45 minutes, while Iryo’s will take five hours and 50 minutes.

The new service builds on a promising trend for sustainable travel in Spain and beyond, with low-cost rail operators bringing competition to the market.

Along with companies like France’s Ouigo and Spain’s Avlo, Iryo is helping trains compete with budget flights.

Return flights between the two cities in December are currently available for €42 with Ryanair. However, these only include an under-seat bag, with a cabin bag charged at an additional €6.60 or a large checked bag at €21 each way.

Iryo’s basic fare includes ​​a small carry-on bag and a cabin suitcase. Large suitcases can be added for €5 each way.

When will Iryo’s Barcelona-Malaga service be available?

Iryo’s service launches on 15 December, with one trip per day in each direction.

The service will depart from Barcelona at 11.50am, stopping in Zaragoza, Madrid for 20 minutes, and Cordoba along the way. In the opposite direction, trains will leave Malaga at 11.35am.

Tickets for 2025 are already on sale, making it easy to plan your travel ahead of time.

Since launching in November 2022, Iryo has established train services connecting  Albacete, Alicante, Antequera, Barcelona, Cuenca, Cordoba, Madrid, Malaga, Seville, Tarragona, Valencia and Zaragoza.