THE new streamlined visa application process for Chinese nationals applying to visit the US will help to stimulate more outbound growth from the market, said tour operators at last week’s Guangzhou International Travel Fair (GITF).
From March 16, Chinese nationals can go online to schedule their visa interview appointments, pay processing fees and check the status of their applications. Applicants can also pick up their visas at any China CITIC Bank branch instead of forking out money to have their passports mailed back.
Ivana Ren, operator, America International Travel Service US, which exhibited at GITF for the first time, welcomed the new initiative. “(Going online) is more convenient than booking interviews via phone.”
In 2012, the US mission in China processed more than 1.3 million non-immigrant visa applications, posting 34 per cent growth over 2011.
Ren expects the upward trajectory to continue with an increase in flight connections, such as China Eastern Airlines’ Shanghai-San Francisco service, beginning April.
Amazonas Viagens E Turismo, Guangzhou liaison office, sales manager, Marco Li, also believes that South America would also stand to gain, as Brazil is emerging as a hotspot for trade fairs. “In fact, it’s easier to obtain a travel visa (for South America) if visitors possess a US one,” he said.
However, Sea Gull Holiday’s marketing director and deputy general manager, Michael Tang, was less sanguine about the prospects. “The website is only in English, which limits its use to a certain audience, and we expect some Chinese will continue turning to travel consultants for assistance, especially because it is harder to apply for US visas compared to European ones. I (also) don’t think the new visa process would fuel outbound traffic robustly due to the high travel cost like airfares.”
Earlier this year, Italy also abolished its travel consultant visa application quota for Chinese nationals in January.
According to Voglia D’Italia Tour Italy’s deputy general manager, Simon Xia, the three Italian embassies in China saw over 100,000 visa applications last year, while he expects this change to result in 10 per cent growth for 2013.
