Visa influences Chinese tourists

Most Chinese tourists admit visa applications influence their travel plans, according to a recent survey by leading global travel search site Tianxun.cn.

More than 90 percent of the 1,000 people polled take visa applications into consideration before choosing a destination while nine percent said visa regulations did not influence their holiday plans.

The survey shows that the US, Australia and France would be the top three desired destinations if there were no visa restrictions.

About 80 percent said they had faced obstacles when applying for visas, and 70 percent said they had never been rejected for a visa.

To encourage more Chinese tourists, a number of countries are relaxing visa restrictions. For example, the British government will allow Chinese travelers to apply for a UK visa using the Schengen form, which will only be available through approved Chinese travel agents.