On October 24, the "Seamless Stay in Guangzhou, Riding the Wave to Tomorrow" promotion event, focusing on Guangzhou's cruise and yacht industry along with its transit visa exemption and tax refund policies, concluded in Nansha District. The event drew consular officials from 27 countries based in Guangzhou, including Spain, Thailand, Tanzania, Greece, Singapore, and Canada.
A key part of the program was a special session detailing Guangzhou's efforts to facilitate entry and exit for international visitors. Officials highlighted recent optimizations to the city's tax refund policy for overseas tourists, which now includes convenient measures such as in-city "instant refund" stores and centralized refund points, supported by clear operational guidelines.
The delegation experienced Nansha's maritime appeal firsthand during a "Sea Tour of Nansha," boarding a cruise ship to witness the district's growing cruise and yacht industry.
Diplomats expressed strong support for the new policy directions. Khatibu Makenga, Consul General of Tanzania in Guangzhou, noted that the visa-free policy "will be much more convenient for most people who are coming to China." He observed that travelers often find it easy to enter Guangzhou via its ports and airports after visiting neighboring countries like Vietnam.
Gina Andreadi, Consul General of Greece in Guangzhou, shared her enthusiasm for maritime cooperation. "There are so many possibilities between Greece and China to cooperate in every possible sector. The sky is the limit," she said. Andreadi, who expressed a personal love for the sea, looks forward to comparing China's developments with Greece's advanced yacht-building companies and bustling cruise tourism industry. She emphasized the need to "bring people together both in terms of business and tourism" to explore joint ventures.
Highlighting potential regional synergies, Kajtiti Wiwatwanont, Consul General of Thailand in Guangzhou, pointed to the strategic link between the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, for which Nansha is a hub, and Thailand's Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC). "We can link between the Greater Bay Area and the EEC through Nansha," he stated. He proposed extending existing cruise routes, which currently connect China to destinations like Vietnam's Da Nang, further to Thailand. "If you can further extend that business to Thailand, we can connect that cruise from China to the EEC near Bangkok," he suggested.
The push for international cruise routes is already underway. The Nansha International Cruise Home Port has developed routes to destinations including Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Vietnam, and the Philippines. The homeport-based Adora Mediterranea cruise ship has demonstrated strong performance, serving over 100,000 inbound and outbound passengers with an average occupancy rate exceeding 75%, which soared above 90% during the Spring Festival. The vessel has stimulated over 500 million yuan in consumption.
With strong diplomatic engagement, facilitative policies, and a clear vision for regional and international connectivity, Guangzhou's Nansha is positioning itself as a rising hub in the global cruise and yacht tourism landscape.
Reporter: Guo Zedong
Editor: Yuan Zixiang, Shen He
Photo, Video & Video Cover: Guo Hongda
