China's Tianjin welcomes foreign visitors with expanded visa-free policy for cruise travel

STORY: China's Tianjin welcomes foreign visitors with expanded visa-free policy for cruise travel SHOOTING TIME: May 24, 2024 DATELINE: May 26, 2024 LENGTH: 0:01:03 LOCATION: TIANJIN, China CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of cruise ship "Mediterranea" arrival and tourist arrivals STORYLINE: The cruise ship "Mediterranea" carrying more than 2,400 passengers docked at Tianjin International Cruise Home Port on Friday. Among them, nearly 800 foreign tourists have enjoyed the convenience brought by the new visa-free entry policy. China implemented a policy on May 15 allowing visa-free entry of foreign tourist groups aboard cruise ships via all cruise ship ports along the country's coastline. Effective measures have also been introduced to provide more convenience for cross-border travel. In 2024, Tianjin International Cruise Home Port is expected to receive 100 inbound cruise ships and more than 300,000 inbound passengers. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Tianjin, China. (XHTV)

Türkiye hosts over 12 mln visitors in first 4 months of 2024

STORY: Türkiye hosts over 12 million visitors in first 4 months of 2024 SHOOTING TIME: May 20/23/25, 2024 DATELINE: May 25, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:18 LOCATION: Ankara CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of tourists in Türkiye (Courtesy of ihlas news agency) STORYLINE: Türkiye hosted over 12 million visitors in the first four months of 2024, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. This total includes over 10 million foreign tourists and around 2 million Turkish citizens residing abroad, marking an 11.75 percent increase in foreign visitors compared to last year. Germany led the influx of visitors, which was followed by Russia and Iran. Istanbul remained the top destination, hosting 5.24 million foreign tourists, nearly half of all arrivals. Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said Türkiye targets 60 million visitors and 60 billion dollars of tourism revenue in 2024. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Ankara. (XHTV)

Chinese market a pillar for the company: Kenya Airways CCO

STORY: Chinese market a pillar for the company: Kenya Airways CCO SHOOTING DATE: May 10, 2024 DATELINE: May 14, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:18 LOCATION: Nairobi CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of KQ planes in Kenya 2. various of tourists 4. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): JULIUS THAIRU, Chief commercial and customer officer at Kenya Airways 5. various of China-Kenya cooperation 6. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): JULIUS THAIRU, Chief commercial and customer officer at Kenya Airways STORYLINE: Speaking during a recent interview with Xinhua in Nairobi, Julius Thairu, chief commercial and customer officer at Kenya Airways has said that China is a competitive market with a promising future. Kenya is China's largest trading partner in East Africa, while China is Kenya's largest trading partner and source of imports. With its rich tourism resources and visa-free policy for all foreign visitors, Kenya is a popular destination for Chinese tourists. According to Thairu, Kenya Airways has been recruiting Chinese-speaking cabin crew to

Kenya to abolish visa requirement for all foreign visitors beginning January

STORY: Kenya to abolish visa requirement for all foreign visitors beginning January SHOOTING TIME: Dec. 12, 2023 DATELINE: Dec. 13, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:21 LOCATION: Nairobi CATEGORY: POLITICS/SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of celebrations of the Independence Day and the president 2. SOUNDBITE (English): WILLIAM RUTO, Kenyan President 3. various of celebrations of the Independence Day STORYLINE: Foreign visitors to Kenya will not be required to have a visa beginning January 2024, President William Ruto announced Tuesday during the celebration of Jamhuri Day, or Independence Day, held in Nairobi, the capital. Ruto said all foreign nationals will enter the country without a visa from January next year, a move that is expected to boost tourism. SOUNDBITE (English): WILLIAM RUTO, Kenyan President "Beginning January 2024, Kenya will be a visa-free country. It shall no longer be necessary for any person from any corner of the globe to carry the burden of applying for a visa to come to Kenya." The Kenyan

Small business owner sees recovering tourism in Spain

STORY: Small business owner sees recovering tourism in Spain SHOOTING TIME: Dec. 12, 2023 DATELINE: Dec. 13, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:11 LOCATION: BARCELONA, Spain CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the La Boqueria market in Barcelona 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Catalan): EVA LUGO, Stallholder in Barcelona's La Boqueria Market 3. various of the La Boqueria market in Barcelona 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Catalan): EVA LUGO, Stallholder in Barcelona's La Boqueria Market 5. SOUNDBITE 3 (Catalan): EVA LUGO, Stallholder in Barcelona's La Boqueria Market STORYLINE: The return of foreign visitors to Spain from China and other Asian countries along with Americans and Europeans is the reason why many Spanish businesses dependent on tourism have been able to recover from the pandemic. One such case is Eva Lugo, a resident of Spain's northeastern city of Barcelona who has a stall selling luxury items in La Boqueria market, one of the city's sites that is most popular with tourists from all over the world. SOUNDBITE 1 (Catalan): EVA LUGO,

Mongolia sees record high number of foreign visitors in 10 months

STORY: Mongolia sees record high number of foreign visitors in 10 months SHOOTING TIME: Nov. 2, 2023 DATELINE: Nov. 2, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:05 LOCATION: Ulan Bator CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of foreign tourists and tourism destinations in Mongolia STORYLINE: The number of foreign tourist arrivals in Mongolia exceeded 600,000 by the end of October, an all-time high and surpassing 2019's total, the country's Ministry of Environment and Tourism said Thursday. Russia, China and South Korea were the biggest sources of tourist arrivals for Mongolia in the January-October period, the ministry said in a statement. The Mongolian government has taken measures to revive the pandemic-hit tourism sector. In January, 34 countries were granted visa-free entry to Mongolia for tourism purposes, increasing the number of visa-exempt countries to 61. The Asian country has also declared 2023-2025 as "Years to Visit Mongolia." Mongolia's economy is mainly dependent on its export-oriented mining sec

TCM products, services wow foreign attendees at China-Arab States Expo

STORY: TCM products, services wow foreign attendees at China-Arab States Expo DATELINE: Sept. 25, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:30 LOCATION: YINCHUAN, China CATEGORY: CULTURE/HEALTH SHOTLIST: 1. various of the sixth China-Arab States Expo 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): MAYAR, Saudi Arabian exhibitor 3. various of visitors experiencing TCM 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): SUN XIANGPING, Vice president of Ningxia Chinese Medicine Research Center 5. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): SUN XIANGPING, Vice president of Ningxia Chinese Medicine Research Center 6. various of medical workers in TCM consulting room in Benin 7. various of students studying TCM STORYLINE: The sixth China-Arab States Expo, which concluded on Sunday in Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, has wowed foreign attendees with rich products and services of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). SOUNDBITE 1 (English): MAYAR, Saudi Arabian exhibitor "That's a good feeling for the massage. This is the first time for me. I feel all my body is feeling good. Not

Bratislava tourist board expresses welcome to Chinese tourists

STORY: Bratislava tourist board expresses welcome to Chinese tourists DATELINE: Jan. 30, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:39 LOCATION: Bratislava CATEGORY: ECONOMY/SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Bratislava, the capital city of Slovakia 2. SOUNDBITE (Slovak): JULIUS BUDAY, Spokesperson for the Bratislava Tourist Board 3. various of local handicrafts and food STORYLINE: Responding to China's decision to optimize its COVID-19 response and international travel policies, a spokesperson for the Bratislava Tourist Board (BTB) said his city welcomes the return of Chinese tourists. SOUNDBITE (Slovak): JULIUS BUDAY, Spokesperson for the Bratislava Tourist Board "When we walked on the streets of the Old Town of our capital city in 2019, we met many Chinese tourists who were a significant part of tourism in Bratislava. They ranked sixth amongst all the foreign visitors. Unfortunately, the pandemic hit in 2020 and 2021, and this group of tourists vanished from our city and Europe in general, which is a great pity. The statistics s

300-strong Taiwan tourism delegation visits Hokkaido

300-strong Taiwan tourism delegation visits Hokkaido

SAPPORO, Japan - Wang Jin-pyng (R), president of Taiwan's Legislative Yuan or parliament, and Hokkaido Gov. Harumi Takahashi shake hands in Sapporo, the capital of the northernmost island prefecture of Japan, on May 12, 2011. A 300-strong Taiwan tourism delegation led by Wang arrived in Hokkaido the same day to help rehabilitate Japan's tourism industry, which has been hit hard by the March 11 earthquake, tsunami and subsequent nuclear crisis. Taiwan is Hokkaido's top source of foreign tourists, accounting for almost a quarter of all foreign visitors.

Upper house panel OKs bill to fingerprint, photograph foreigners

Upper house panel OKs bill to fingerprint, photograph foreigners

TOKYO, Japan - Members of the House of Councillors Judicial Affairs Committee approve a bill that revises the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Law to fingerprint and photograph all foreign visitors aged 16 or older on May 16. The panel voted down a proposal by the opposition Democratic Party of Japan that called for freezing the fingerprinting provision for the time being.

Lower house OKs bill to fingerprint, photograph foreigners

Lower house OKs bill to fingerprint, photograph foreigners

TOKYO, Japan - The House of Representatives at a plenary session approved by a majority vote a bill revising the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Law to fingerprint and photograph all foreign visitors on March 30 as part of its campaign to fight terrorism. The legislation will be sent to the House of Councillors.

Gov't adopts action plan to fingerprint foreign visitors

Gov't adopts action plan to fingerprint foreign visitors

TOKYO, Japan - A government task force responsible for fighting international terrorism adopted an action plan Dec. 10 that includes fingerprinting and photographing all foreign visitors upon entry into Japan as part of the nation's antiterrorism campaign.

Bangladesh healthcare seeks Chinese equipment to offer affordable services to all

STORY: Bangladesh healthcare seeks Chinese equipment to offer affordable services to all DATELINE: Oct. 17, 2022 LENGTH: 00:03:41 LOCATION: Dhaka CATEGORY: HEALTH/TECHNOLOGY SHOTLIST: 1. various of 13th Meditex Bangladesh 2022 International Expo 2. various of visitors 3. various of booths 4. SOUNDBITE 1 (Bengali): GAWSHAL AZAM MITHU, Managing director of Pulse Technologies 5. SOUNDBITE 2 (Bengali): MD MONAYEM, Director of Bangladesh Medical Items Ltd. 6. various of medical devices 7. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): ERIC, Director of Sansure Biotech Inc. 8. SOUNDBITE 4 (English): EDWARD GUO, Shenzhen Emperor Electronic Technology Co., Ltd. 9. various of booths STORYLINE: Many people in Bangladesh are struggling to pay for healthcare as it is expensive in the country mainly due to overpriced medical equipment from traditional foreign sources. Against this backdrop, Bangladeshi healthcare providers are trying to make a change by seeking affordable equipment from China. Gawshal Azam Mithu is an importer and supplier

Cyprus' Limassol wine festival back after 2-yr hiatus

STORY: Cyprus' Limassol wine festival back after 2-yr hiatus DATELINE: Sept. 18, 2022 LENGTH: 00:01:59 LOCATION: LIMASSOL, Cyprus CATEGORY: CULTURE SHOTLIST: various of the festival with its visitors and performancesSOUNDBITE 1 (English): NICOS NICOLAIDES, Mayor of LimassolSOUNDBITE 2 (English): NICOS NICOLAIDES, Mayor of Limassol STORYLINE: The Limassol wine festival came back on Saturday after a two-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, bringing thousands of people from all over Cyprus as well as foreign tourists to the city's seaside Municipal Garden even on the opening night. The city's mayor Nicos Nicolaides told Xinhua that the Limassol wine festival is coming back "dynamically, upgraded with many innovations," expecting that it will attract more than 100,000 visitors this year and would promote Cyprus' wine villages, production of wine and culture. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): NICOS NICOLAIDES, Mayor of Limassol "We would like to promote our wines, Cypriot wines, which are one of the best in the

Turkey logs 2.57 million foreign arrivals in April

STORY: Turkey logs 2.57 million foreign arrivals in April DATELINE: May 24, 2022 LENGTH: 00:00:50 LOCATION: Ankara CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of visitors enjoying water sports 2. various of people touring the shopping mall 3. various of visitors enjoying leisure time STORYLINE: The foreign arrivals in Turkey surged by 225.6 percent year-on-year to 2.57 million in April, the official figures showed on Monday, as the country is trying to recover from the impact of COVID-19. The number of foreign visitors hosted in the January-April period this year increased by 172.51 percent to 7.47 million compared to the same period last year, according to the figures from the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry. In April, the highest number of foreign visitors was from Germany, with 395,372 people, followed by Bulgaria and Britain, with 270,997 and 225,296 people respectively. Istanbul, Turkey's most populous city and a major tourist destination, attracted 37.9 percent of all international visitors, while

Thailand attracts tourists with kite festival

STORY: Thailand attracts tourists with kite festival DATELINE: April 24, 2022 LENGTH: 00:02:27 LOCATION: Bangkok CATEGORY: SOCIETY/CULTURE SHOTLIST: 1. various of the festival STORYLINE: Numerous kite enthusiasts and visitors gathered on Saturday at Cha-am Beach in Thailand's southern Phetchaburi province to enjoy the annual international kite festival. Kicking off on Friday, the 3-day event is organized by the Tourism Authority of Thailand in the hope of boosting the local economy and attracting more tourists. Dozens of kites of all shapes and sizes fluttered above the sand. Hundreds of local and foreign visitors, who were busy taking photos with these colorful giant kites, were also interested in a series of related activities including a kite DIY corner, family kite zone and a kite market. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Bangkok. (XHTV)

FIJI-SUVA-TOURISM

FIJI-SUVA-TOURISM

(220407) -- SUVA, April 7, 2022 (Xinhua) -- Photo taken on April 3, 2022 shows a beach in Suva, Fiji. Fiji on Thursday lifted all quarantine measures for foreign visitors as part of its efforts to revitalize the tourism industry. According to Fiji's health ministry, all quarantine measures in Fiji have been lifted from Thursday, which means there is no more travel partner system, and anyone fully vaccinated and shows a negative test can come into the Pacific island country. (Xinhua/Zhang Yongxing)

FIJI-SUVA-TOURISM

FIJI-SUVA-TOURISM

(220407) -- SUVA, April 7, 2022 (Xinhua) -- Photo taken on March 20, 2022 shows a handicraft stall at a local market in Suva, Fiji. Fiji on Thursday lifted all quarantine measures for foreign visitors as part of its efforts to revitalize the tourism industry. According to Fiji's health ministry, all quarantine measures in Fiji have been lifted from Thursday, which means there is no more travel partner system, and anyone fully vaccinated and shows a negative test can come into the Pacific island country. (Xinhua/Zhang Yongxing)

Vietnam reopens borders for int'l tourists

STORY: Vietnam reopens borders for int'l tourists DATELINE: March 16, 2022 LENGTH: 0:01:16 LOCATION: Hanoi CATEGORY: ECONOMY/SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1 various of the airport 2 various of the tourists STORYLINE: Vietnam on Tuesday fully reopened its borders for international tourists. According to Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, foreign nationals can now enter Vietnam by air, land and sea through all border gates as long as they meet the COVID-19 prevention and control requirements. International travellers will only have to prove that they have been fully vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 with a negative test result while having insurance coverage of at least 10,000 U.S. dollars for possible COVID-19 treatment in Vietnam. As part of the efforts to restore tourism activities, Vietnam also resumed the visa exemption policy for citizens from 13 countries including Japan, South Korea, and Russia from Tuesday. Vietnam received a record number of over 18 million international visitors in

Biggest flower exhibition in Egypt catches eyes of visitors

STORY: Biggest flower exhibition in Egypt catches eyes of visitors DATELINE: March 1, 2022 LENGTH: 00:02:22 LOCATION: Cairo CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. A banner showing the name of the exhibition 2. Various shots of a lot of different types of flowers 3. SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): Nasser Taha, Exhibitor 4. Various shots of the exhibition 5. SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): Akram, Visitor 6. SOUNDBITE 3 (Arabic): Amira, Visitor 7. Shots of the exhibition STORYLINE: The ongoing Spring Flowers Exhibition, held in Egypt's Giza province, attracts hundreds of visitors every day. The exhibition, which will last until the end of March 2022, features more than 200 exhibitors, including a number of foreign companies. The exhibitors display not only the beautiful flowers but also all equipment and tools needed for flower gardening. SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): NASSER TAHA, Exhibitor "In this exhibition, each company shows its new products and capabilities every year. Our company produces ornamental pl

Gov't adopts action plan to fingerprint foreign visitors

Gov't adopts action plan to fingerprint foreign visitors

TOKYO, Japan - A government task force responsible for fighting international terrorism adopted an action plan Dec. 10 that includes fingerprinting and photographing all foreign visitors upon entry into Japan as part of the nation's antiterrorism campaign. (Kyodo)

Lower house OKs bill to fingerprint, photograph foreigners

Lower house OKs bill to fingerprint, photograph foreigners

TOKYO, Japan - The House of Representatives at a plenary session approved by a majority vote a bill revising the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Law to fingerprint and photograph all foreign visitors on March 30 as part of its campaign to fight terrorism. The legislation will be sent to the House of Councillors. (Kyodo)

Upper house panel OKs bill to fingerprint, photograph foreigners

Upper house panel OKs bill to fingerprint, photograph foreigners

TOKYO, Japan - Members of the House of Councillors Judicial Affairs Committee approve a bill that revises the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Law to fingerprint and photograph all foreign visitors aged 16 or older on May 16. The panel voted down a proposal by the opposition Democratic Party of Japan that called for freezing the fingerprinting provision for the time being. (Kyodo)

Himeji Castle most visited Japanese castle in fiscal 2015

Himeji Castle most visited Japanese castle in fiscal 2015

File photo taken in February 2015 shows Himeji Castle, a national treasure and a World Heritage site in the western Japan city of Himeji. In the year through March 31, 2016, Himeji Castle for the first time attracted the most visitors among all castles in Japan, drawing more than 2.86 million people, including over 300,000 foreign tourists. Both figures are a record for the Hyogo Prefecture castle. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

A mother and her daughters

A mother and her daughters

This is a studio photograph of three women, probably a mother and her two daughters. Mt. Fuji is painted on the curtain in the back. This is a typical coloured souvenir photograph produced for foreign visitors. The floral hairpins, sash tied in the darari-musubi style and wooden clogs were all popular among girls of the Meiji Period.==Date:unknown, Place:unknown, Photo:Tamamura Kozaburo, (Credit:Nagasaki University Library/Kyodo News Images) [Cabinet Number48‐34‐0]

300-strong Taiwan tourism delegation visits Hokkaido

300-strong Taiwan tourism delegation visits Hokkaido

SAPPORO, Japan - Wang Jin-pyng (R), president of Taiwan's Legislative Yuan or parliament, and Hokkaido Gov. Harumi Takahashi shake hands in Sapporo, the capital of the northernmost island prefecture of Japan, on May 12, 2011. A 300-strong Taiwan tourism delegation led by Wang arrived in Hokkaido the same day to help rehabilitate Japan's tourism industry, which has been hit hard by the March 11 earthquake, tsunami and subsequent nuclear crisis. Taiwan is Hokkaido's top source of foreign tourists, accounting for almost a quarter of all foreign visitors. (Kyodo)

Japan eases entry restrictions for all countries

Japan eases entry restrictions for all countries

Kansai airport's international arrival lobby is deserted in Osaka on Oct. 1, 2020, although Japan reopens the same day borders for all foreign visitors with permits to stay in the country for some time, including students and business people.

Japan eases entry restrictions for all countries

Japan eases entry restrictions for all countries

Kansai airport's international arrival lobby is deserted in Osaka on Oct. 1, 2020, although Japan reopens the same day borders for all foreign visitors with permits to stay in the country for some time, including students and business people.

Japan to ease entry restrictions for all countries

Japan to ease entry restrictions for all countries

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga (front) speaks to a government task force on coronavirus response in Tokyo on Sept. 25, 2020. He said Japan will reopen borders for all foreign visitors with permits to stay in the country for some time, including students but excluding tourists, from October.

Record foreign visitors to Japan

Record foreign visitors to Japan

A ceremony is held at Kansai International Airport in Osaka Prefecture on Dec. 18, 2018, as Japan marked an all-time record of 30 million foreign visitors on an annual basis. Japan's tourist minister Keiichi Ishii is seen in center-left. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Japan sees record foreign visitors, tourist spending in 2016

Japan sees record foreign visitors, tourist spending in 2016

An American man (L) explains how to taste sake to visitors at a brewery in Niigata, Japan, on Jan. 17, 2017. Spending by foreign visitors to Japan in 2016 grew 7.8 percent to 3.75 trillion yen ($33.2 billion) and the number of foreign visitors rose 21.8 percent to 24.04 million, both all-time highs, the government said the same day. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo