More than 33.3 million Chinese and foreign tourists visited Qingdao, a coastal city of east China’s Shandong province, in the first half of 2016, up 8.46 percent year on year, authorities said recently.

Tourism revenue during the period increased by 13.81 percent year on year to 52.5 billion yuan (US$7.9 billion), according to a statement issued by the city’s tourism authorities.

The city started to offer 72-hour visa-free entry for international transit passengers to boost tourism and business since November, 2015.

Travelers from 51 countries could enter without visas under the policy. The transit passengers can stay 72-hours within the Shandong province after they have entered China via the Qingdao International Airport with third-country visas and confirmed plane tickets to leave for another country within the time limit. The policy brings great convenience for inbound tourism.