72-hour visa-free policy prompts improvements to welcome travelers

Travelers at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport can enjoy Mapo tofu and have a shower before they board their flight as part of the improved services at the airport's restored international terminal.

China's western portal city Chengdu, in Sichuan province, has attracted more overseas visitors since it brought in the 72-hour visa-free policy last September, said an airport official.

The airport has improved its facilities to provide better services to international guests.

Chengdu rated most livable city

After five months of construction, the first-class cabin and tax-free shops in the airport's international terminal were completed in late April.

The new first-class cabin can host 140 people at one time. It is the only first-class cabin to provide cooked meals and showers in central west China, an airport official said.

The official told reporters that the meals included some renowned Sichuan cuisines such as Mapo tofu and spicy diced chicken with peanuts.

The cabin follows a Sichuan theme, with folding screens decorated with the pictures of pandas and Sichuan embroidery, both hallmarks of the province's culture.

French windows give travelers views outside and the new 400-square-meter tax-free shop was inspired by counterparts in Hong Kong, Taipei and Singapore.