(Yicai) May 28 -- The authorities in China have told hotels not to turn away foreigners, following recent complaints from a number of overseas visitors about being refused accommodation.

Online posts by travelers from countries such as Nigeria, the United Kingdom, and Pakistan, said they encountered such difficulties in small Chinese cities and at budget hotels. 

The Ministry of Public Security and the National Immigration Administration said they are paying attention to the issue, and together with the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and other regulators have instructed hoteliers not to refuse overseas guests on the grounds that they lack the necessary permits.

Not all hotels in China are authorized to accept foreign guests. Only those that have the necessary permits and are registered with the Public Security Bureau can legally provide accommodation to foreigners.

The ministries will also guide and supervise the hospitality sector to improve its ability to host foreign guests and bolster related services. 

Following the Covid-19 pandemic, most hotel visitors have been domestic travelers. As a result, many hotels said they have not yet obtained the permits needed to accommodate foreigners. 

Hotel operators including Shanghai Jin Jiang International Hotels, BTG Homeinns Hotels Group, and H World Group said that curbs on hosting foreign guests have been relaxed, but the level varies in different regions, adding that they hope for a full easing of the restrictions. 

According to the WeChat account named Shanghai Chongming, homestay operators will be eligible to receive foreign guests as long as they apply for permission. 

In the first quarter of this year, the number of foreigners visiting China rose threefold from a year ago, per NIA figures. The culture and tourism ministry also revealed that the number of inbound travelers reached 1.78 million during this year’s Labor Day holiday in May. 

Editor: Tom Litting