China will resume group tours to 40 more countries, including France and Italy, from March 15, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced on Friday.

Tour agencies and online travel companies will be able to launch and promote group tours and flight-plus-hotel services to these countries, the ministry said.

Last month, the country opened up group tours to 20 countries, including Thailand, Russia and New Zealand. (Reporting by Beijing Newsroom; editing by John Stonestreet)