NANNING, July 28 -- The south China city of Guilin, transport hub for the backpackerhaven of Yangshuo County, began to offer 72-hour visa-free stays to international transitpassengers on Monday.
The scheme covers travelers from 51 countries, including the United States, Japan, SouthKorea, Australia, and a number of European Union countries.
Under the plan, air transit travelers are allowed 72-hour visa-free visits to the city, famousfor its picturesque river and karst mountains.
Guilin airport, with direct flights to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Bangkok and HongKong, will handle the entry and exit of an estimated 400,000 passengers across the borderthis year, up 14 percent from last year.
The same visa-free policy is already in place in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Kunming,Chengdu, Chongqing, Shenyang and Dalian.
