International travelers take a ride on the Bay Glory Ferris wheel at OH Bay in Bao'an District on Saturday. Huang Xun
A group of 40 international travelers from Spain, the United States, and France, who were on a flight from Barcelona with a layover at the Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport, embarked on a one-day tour Saturday to explore the culture and urban charm of Bao'an District.
Shortly after arriving at 7:15 a.m. and completing border immigration procedures, members of the group started the Bao'an Experience Tour, which was organized by the tourism administration of the district.
At the Bao'an Urban Planning and Exhibition Hall, located in the Bao'an Library, the travelers familiarized themselves with the history and future trajectory of urban planning and development in the district.
The tourists also learned about the history of Bao'an and Shenzhen through a digital presentation on a 50-meter-wide flexible screen.
During the six-hour tour, the tourists also rode the Bay Glory Ferris wheel at OH Bay, which provides a stunning view of the area from 128 meters. The group also walked along the Xiwan-Qianhai Bay Slow Traffic Corridor, a unique leisure area along the coast.
Alonso Gelabert Oriol, from Spain, thought the one-day tour was a good option for international tourists who are interested in learning about the city in a short time. He also said it is a good way to promote Shenzhen and that he would share his experience with his friends in Europe.
In the past, international travelers stayed in hotels during layovers. That is not the case anymore, thanks to the opening of travel tours for transit passengers. Ricardo Tinoco Amoros, from Spain, said that the tour was a good option for learning about Shenzhen and enriching his layover.
According to Zhu Dejiu, general manager of Shenzhen Youxing International Travel Agency Co., the international transit passengers made reservations for their tours before arriving in the city. In the future, the travel agency will cooperate with airlines, hotels, and tourist attractions to develop more travel packages like half-day, one-day, and even two-day tours for international transit passengers.
Catalyzed by China's 144-hour visa-free transit policy, data from the Shenzhen airport show that 500,000 foreigners entered China through the Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport in the first half of the year, a 212% year-on-year increase. Among them, almost 90,000 individuals benefited from visa-free access, accounting for 34% of foreign entries.