Hainan Island extends visa waiver programme from May
From May 1st citizens of 59 countries can obtain 30-day visa-free access to Hainan Island, China.
Travellers from countries including the United Kingdom, all EU countries, Balkan countries, United States, Canada and many more countries in Asia, Australia and South America are eligible for the new policy.
Groups and individual visitors from these countries can visit the Hainan Province in China for 30 days visa-free as long as their trip tours are booked through registered travel agencies and are approved by the China National Tourism Administration.
Located on the southern end of Hainan Island, Sanya is regarded as China’s tropical holiday destination with bays of beach resorts.
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The latest move is an expansion from a 2000 policy that permitted tour groups from 21 countries to enter Hainan visa-free for up to two weeks.
The new move lets individual travellers enter Hainan and extends the period of stay.
The move is likely to benefit Chinese airlines, including the island’s flagship carrier, Hainan Airlines, a unit of the troubled Chinese conglomerate, HNA Group.