Favorable measures propel surge of foreign tourists

Traveling to China is getting easier for foreign tourists, as new rules and procedures cover more regions and ports of entry. These include optimized visa-free policies, convenient access to currency exchange, expedited car rentals, quick purchase of cellphone cards and more signage in languages other than Chinese.

With the New Year and Spring Festival holidays approaching, there's no better time for travelers to arrive for a taste of traditional Chinese culture.

China has extended the duration of its visa-free transit policy to 10 days. The previous limit was 72 or 144 hours.