Photo: Oksana Kumer/123rf

Costa Rica will make it easier for tourists from China to visit, the Tourism Board announced this week.

Starting in March, tourists from Beijing and Shanghai will be allowed to enter the country without the need for a prior visa. Under the current requirements, Chinese nationals must apply for an entry permit at the Costa Rican consulate.

Chinese nationals will have to demonstrate that they have a tourism package booked through an accredited Costa Rican company in order to receive the visa exemption.

The relaxed requirements are meant to help Costa Rica tap into a growing tourism market. By 2027, the number of Chinese citizens with passports is expected to reach 300 million people, according to the Tourism Board.

Source: The Tico Times