Beijing Service counters in the international arrival zones of Beijing Capital International Airport. [Beijing Municipal Administration of Government Services and Data Management/Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
The Chinese capital launched Beijing Service, a new mobile payment and travel and transportation initiative, on Jan 1 to facilitate visitors from abroad.
The inauguration of Beijing Service counters at the airports coincides with the surge in international arrivals, propelled by China's relaxed visa-free policies. This has led Beijing to improve its services for overseas visitors.
Beijing Service counters are designed to provide foreigners with a one-stop service for a range of finance, communication, transportation, culture and tourism needs.
As China transitions most of its payment systems to digital applications, foreigners find the step challenging.
On a four-day transit in Beijing, two siblings from Poland named Dogmara and Norbert shared their experience.
"We didn't know much about China, but we knew about the advanced technology," said Dogmara.
"We noticed we could pay with cash, card, or by scanning a QR code and we were surprised to learn that facial recognition could also be used for payments," she added.
Although they were amazed by China's advanced payment methods, they often encountered hurdles navigating Beijing while adjusting to this new system.
"It is worth seeing, but I recommend first getting familiar with payment applications to save time," said Norbert.
"We are very impressed by China," he added.
The Payment Services area is designed to address those issues. It offers assistance with cash withdrawals using foreign bank cards and currency exchange, and staff members help visitors download mobile payment apps.
At the Tourist Services area, dedicated staff members create customized travel itineraries based on tourists' needs and assist with ticket bookings.
Furthermore, transit passengers at Beijing Capital International Airport are offered complimentary half-day tours of Beijing.
Katia Houle, a Trip.com representative, said that Trip.com Group launched Beijing Express on Dec 27. This service enables visitors to register for free Great Wall and Beijing tours.
"We offer free tours every single day. You sign on the spot, and our tour guides are there," she said.
"We offer free transportation, attraction tickets, internet and an English-speaking tour guide. So it's all covered," Katia added.
Beijing Service counters in the international arrival zones of Beijing Capital International Airport. [Beijing Municipal Administration of Government Services and Data Management/Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
The first tour runs from 7:30 am to 1 pm, offering a direct trip from the airport to the Great Wall at the Badaling section and then returns you to the airport. The second tour, from 1:30 pm to 9 pm, takes you downtown, visiting the Temple of Heaven and passing by Tian'anmen Square before returning to the airport.
"Today, we had people who joined the tour in the morning, and because they had a longer layover, they decided to participate in the second tour," she said.
One of the primary challenges for foreigners arriving in China is the language barrier. Laszlo Csizmadia, a traveler from Hungary who was in transit at the airport with his wife, highlighted his struggles when communicating with staff members.
"We don't know any Chinese, but people here are using translation apps, which help a lot, and those who speak some basic English are always willing to find a way to assist us," he added.
The Beijing Services' Information desk now features a fully automated personal translator. In addition to staff assistance, travelers can communicate in 14 languages, instantly translated into Chinese for seamless interaction.
Other essential services such as mobile transportation also have designated areas.
In the Mobile Services area, travelers can obtain SIM cards for mobile phones and access airport Wi-Fi. Foreign visitors can choose from various plans offered by major domestic networks, including daily rental options and unlimited plans for up to one month.
In addition, foreigners can purchase the Beijing Pass in the Transport Services area. The pass is a versatile transportation card issued by the Beijing municipal government for visitors exploring China.
It is issued on a sale basis and is rechargeable. Cardholders have access to not only public transportation services across 300 cities but can also use the pass in designated commercial, cultural and tourism sectors.
China has expanded its visa-free policies, offering transit visa-free access to 54 countries and exempting passport holders from 38 countries from visas for short stays.
The Polish travelers said they decided to transit in Beijing because of the affordable flight tickets and China's newly implemented visa-free policy.
The International Web Portal of Beijing introduced a dedicated webpage for Beijing Airport service counters, simplifying trip planning for foreigners and enhancing their familiarity with Beijing Service.
Beijing Service counters are situated in the international arrival zones of Beijing Capital International Airport and Beijing Daxing International Airport, said the Beijing Municipal Administration of Government Services and Data Management.
