An aerial drone photo taken on Aug. 25, 2025 shows a view of the Jinshanling section of the Great Wall in Luanping County of Chengde, north China's Hebei Province. (Photo by Zhou Wanping/Xinhua)

Geneva now operates two direct flights to China, one to Shanghai and the other to Beijing. In November 2024, China introduced a 30-day visa-free entry policy for Swiss citizens holding ordinary passports. The policy covers business, tourism, family visits, transit, and exchange activities for stays of up to 30 days. Tourism professionals agreed that the direct flights, combined with the visa-free arrangement, have significantly facilitated travel between the two countries.

Swiss participants expressed keen interest in Hebei's tourism potential. Zhao Lei, Asia manager of Geneva Tourism, encouraged her peers to visit Hebei.

Jacqueline Roeschli, director of Fiesta Travel in Geneva, said she was considering organizing a tour to China specifically for female travelers, citing the convenience of direct flights and the visa-free policy.

Philippe Nyoundou, from Villeneuve Travel Agency in Switzerland's Vaud region, said the event inspired him to start planning a trip. "The 30-day visa-free policy makes me feel I can leave at any time. I plan to travel to China next month," he told Xinhua.