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Visitors from eight more states to enjoy visa-free travel to the Island of Hainan

Starting from May 2018, the Hainan authorities increased the number of countries whose residents can visit this southern province of China visa-free from 26 to 59

HAIKOU, September 18. /TASS/. The Hainan provincial authorities plan to expand visa-free travel for visitors from eight more regions and countries, the Hainan Daily newspaper writes.

Based on the current visa-free travel for 59 states and regions of the world, visitors from eight more countries will be able to travel to the island visa-free in the near future, the newspaper quotes the words of the vice-governor of the region, Shen Danyang. As the newspaper indicates, the official did not specify which countries were subject to the new rule.

“In addition to traveling, lots of our foreign friends are also interested in business and student visas, as well as residence permits. In response, Hainan intends to increase the degree of openness and make it more convenient to process the documents,” he added. "Hainan welcomes travelers from all over the world, especially from countries participating in the Belt and Road initiative, who want to travel, study, work or start their business with us," the deputy governor pointed out.

"We also see that the high growth rates this year can sometimes be explained by last year's low figures. For this reason, we will not stop there and will make even greater efforts to attract foreign capital and maintain growth," he stressed. As Shen Danyang pointed out, the local authorities see the improvement of business climate on the island as a priority.

Starting from May 2018, the Hainan authorities increased the number of countries whose residents can visit this southern province of China visa-free from 26 to 59 (Russia is on the list). Those traveling solo or as part of a group can stay on Hainan for up to 30 days, provided that the trip is booked through a travel agency.

Hainan is a famous international resort. In 2017, the number of Russians visiting the island increased by 250%, to a record 284,000, but in 2018 this figure dropped by 10%. Russia is considered one of the main sources of the external tourist flow of the province. Starting this year, visa-free trsvel has been in effect for Russian citizens in the region.

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