The Chinese National Tourism Administration has published a proclamation on its official website concerning applications for setting up foreign-invested travel agencies in China.

According to the related prescriptions of Regulation on Travel Agencies, from September 15, 2009, CNTA will begin to accept applications from foreign-invested travel agencies.

Application requirements include a fixed place of business, the necessary business facilities, and a registered capital of no less than CNY300,000. The application documentation required is listed in Article 8 of the Detailed Rules for the Implementation of the Regulation on Travel Agencies.

The approval period will be within 30 working days from the application submission, and no fee will be charged.

Meanwhile, from September 15, 2009, CNTA will start to change the licenses and certificates of those foreign-invested agencies which exist already.

(China Hospitality News September 1, 2009)