Allowing foreigners to stay at any hotel of their choosing is the latest step that China has taken to encourage foreigners to visit.
The latest change, decided jointly by the police, Commerce Ministry and immigration authority, comes after overseas tourists including those from Britain, Nigeria and Pakistan complained they were rejected for check-in at hotels. Staff at hotels in China that advertise they do not accept foreigners said they have yet to receive an official notice informing them of the change.
“Hopefully, the authorities can do away with the registration of foreign guests with the police entirely or ask for fewer details of the foreigners checking in,” he added. Details required include clear scans of the passport, visa number and the latest entry stamp into China. For now, both Mr Hong and Mr Bai, who declined to give their full names for fear of being seen as defying the new regulations, said they do not plan to start accepting foreigners until they receive official notice.
The change “will further increase the accommodation options available to our users wherever they may be from”, he said. “We definitely believe this will have a positive effect on inbound tourism to China.”