China’s visa-free list continues to grow, with five more European countries being added.

Citizens of Andorra, Finland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco and Slovakia have now been granted visa waivers for the Asian nation.

Tourists from these countries, as well as South Korea, will be able to enter China visa-free from 8 November 2024 until 31 December 2025.

This comes after it was announced Norway would be added earlier in September, followed by Cyprus, Denmark, Greece, Portugal and Slovenia in October.

It brings the total number of European countries granted visa-free access up to 24.

In July, tourists from Poland, Australia and New Zealand were also granted unrestricted entry to China until the end of 2025.

Since the start of 2024, the scheme has been announced in stages, with various European nations 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.

The full list of European countries now includes Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland. Tourists from these countries will be allowed to enter China for short stays without a visa until the end of next year.

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.

Since travel resumed post-pandemic, cruising has made a swift comeback.

This resurgence has rekindled the debate over its environmental impact and strain on popular destinations.

In 2023, cruise travel surpassed 2019 pre-pandemic levels recording 31.7 million passengers, according to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) 2024 State of the Industry Report.

With 84 per cent of baby boomers and Gen Xers and 81 per cent of millennials planning to return to sea, cruises remain a dominant and enduring travel choice.

However, industry leaders still need to work to address passengers’ sustainability concerns.

Cruise ships banned from dozens of overwhelmed destinations

The cruise industry travels to every part of the world, including Antarctica.

However, some ports have responded to cruise guests by implementing tourist fees, limiting the number of ships in port, or prohibiting ships from docking altogether.

Venice banned cruise ships from docking at its port. Many cruise lines still offer ‘Venice’ itineraries, but they now dock in nearby cities, such as Trieste or Ravenna, and bus passengers into the city.

The Alaskan capital Juneau faces overwhelming cruise traffic during its short season. Welcoming 1.6 million visitors annually, the city plans to limit daily cruise passengers in 2026.

Santorini in Greece sees more cruise visitors than its population can handle, prompting local authorities to limit the number of ships allowed to dock daily.

On this popular Greek island, cruise passengers frequently encounter tension from locals, even with just one ship in port.

Cruise passengers are increasingly suffering the wrath of locals fed up with overtourism, as residents greet ships with protests and chants. In extreme cases like in Barcelona, citizens are spraying water on tourists, forcing them to leave the city’s main attractions.

Recently, locals in Amsterdam protested and prevented Royal Caribbean’s nine-month world cruise ship from docking by blocking locks that the boat needed to use to enter the port.

Cruising damages waterways and threatens ecosystems

As well as contributing to overtourism, those opposing cruise travel say that the industry destroys the planet with high emissions, and damages waterways and reef systems.

They worry that with more and bigger ships environmental damages will increase.

“I would not go on a cruise for several reasons,” says Emese Maczko, owner of Eco Lodges Everywhere. “These megaships have a huge environmental footprint and are overwhelming small destinations.”

Staggered arrivals and private islands: How cruises are becoming more sustainable

One way cruise lines can make their type of tourism more sustainable is by staggering their arrivals into frequently overcrowded ports.

Itineraries can limit the quantity of ships in a single port by scheduling arrivals on different days or spending less time in port.

In Mykonos, for example, ships stagger arrival times, with one docking in the early morning and another in the afternoon.

This strategy reduces overcrowding while still allowing cruise passengers to experience popular destinations.

Some cruise lines purchase islands and incorporate those stops into their most popular itineraries.

It’s planned that  10 cruise line-owned destinations and five new private islands or beach clubs will open in the next two years.

Some of the most popular private island experiences are in the Bahamas, where cruisers enjoy crystal-clear water and powdery white sand.

Disney now owns two private stops: Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.

Carnival Corporation has Half Moon Cay and Princess Cay, and plans to open Celebration Key in July 2025.

Royal Caribbean offers its popular private island, Perfect Day at Coco Cay, on most Bahamas itineraries. It’s a favourite stop for cruisers – and some passengers select their itineraries specifically so they can visit it.

Virgin Voyages, the adults-only cruise line owned by Richard Branson, doesn’t have an entire island but instead offers a beach club option in Bimini, a chain of Bahamian islands east of Miami.

How cruise ships are becoming less environmentally damaging

CLIA highlights the goal of many cruise lines to have net zero emissions by 2050.

To achieve this, cruise lines have invested in technological advancements aimed at reducing their environmental footprint.

Around 32 pilot projects and collaborative initiatives are underway with fuel producers and engine companies testing sustainable fuels and technologies.

In its 2023 report, CLIA outlines several key initiatives to make cruise travel a sustainable form of tourism for years to come.

With Advanced Wastewater Treatment Systems (AWTS), CLIA cruise lines pledge not to discharge untreated sewage during regular operations.

These high-tech AWTS systems often surpass standards set for coastal cities and international regulations.

Some cruise lines also use advanced infrastructure to produce up to 90 per cent of their water on board, reducing the need to take water from areas with limited resources.

To reduce the impact on marine life, CLIA members are expected to slow down in sensitive areas and use technology to reduce underwater noise and vibrations.

Some ships also host scientists to support marine life research.

Certain ships repurpose all waste, use excess heat from machinery for water heating, and reduce food waste with bio-digesters.

In terms of greener fuels, ships with flexible propulsion systems will have the potential to adapt to bioLNG, synthetic LNG or methanol when these become more readily available.

Madeira has introduced a new fee for non-residents on some of its most popular hiking trails.

The move is part of a push towards sustainable tourism and proceeds will fund conservation efforts.

The surcharge currently applies to seven of the most trafficked routes but will be expanded to all recommended trails on the Portuguese archipelago from January 2025.

With steep peaks, verdant forests, and lush waterfalls, the archipelago’s hiking trails are some of its top visitor draws.

Madeira’s regional secretary of Agriculture, Fisheries and Environment, Rafaela Fernandes, said the charge is necessary to protect the area’s natural landscapes and manage the increasing influx of tourists.

Tourists will have to pay to hike Madeira’s trails from 2025

The €3 fee applies to all non-residents over the age of 12 and is currently in place on Madeira’s most popular trails.

These are Pico do Areeiro, Pico Ruivo, Levada do Risco, Levada do Caldeirão Verde, Balcões, Levada do Rei and Ponta de São Lourenço.

From 1 January 2025, non-residents will need to pay to hike over 30 routes managed by the Institute of Forests and Nature Conservation (ICNF) in Madeira.

Hikers who do not pay face fines of up to €50.

Visitors can pay using the regional government portal, Simplifica. Alternatively, there are on-site payment options available at ICNF stations located along many of the trails.

Madeira hiking fee will fund trail maintenance and nature conservation

All profits from the new tourist fee will be put towards trail maintenance, cleaning and preservation efforts, according to Fernandes.

Madeira is experiencing an increase in tourism, particularly in peak hiking seasons, so the trail charge aims to manage the flow of visitors on paths and help protect the natural landscape.

Madeira’s authorities have launched an awareness campaign to inform visitors about the charge and its purpose.

Fernandes says the move has been welcomed by tourists who appreciate the importance of supporting conservation efforts.