Recent inclusion of Australia in China’s visa waiver program has stirred a wave of searches for China-related key words on the Internet.

China has been progressively relaxing entry requirements for visitors from various countries since 2023. Subsequent to a milestone trip by China’s Premier Li Qiang to Australia, Australia is now included in China’s visa waiver program, allowing Australian passport holders to visit China for up to 15 days without a visa. The new arrangement reflects efforts to enhance travel convenience and deepen economic and cultural exchanges between the two countries.

After the news was released, searches for China-related keywords by Australian users surged by 80% within half an hour, as mentioned by Ctrip. This surge in interest has also translated into an uptick in bookings, with bookings for holidays from Australia to China increasing by 20% on the day the news was announced. Australian tourism practitioners warmly welcomed this development, expressing optimism: "This will change the rules of the game and I believe it will encourage Australian tourists to actively return to China." China recently announced that starting from July 1, Australian citizens will be able to enter China visa-free for 15 days. Previously, Chinese citizens could apply for visas of up to one year to visit Australia, or up to 10 years for frequent travelers.