Chinese authorities intend to expand visa-free travel for foreign tourists from 59 countries

News24xx.com -  Since May 1, 2018, Chinese authorities intend to expand visa-free regime for foreign tourists from 59 countries to come to Hainan Island (South China). It was reported on Wednesday, April 18 2018 by the Office of Immigration Affairs under the Ministry of Public Security of the PRC.

According to the agency, this decision was made to support the implementation of the island's opening policy.

The report notes that visa arrangements are allowed until 30 days.

Among the countries whose their citizens will be charged visa-free are Russia, Britain, France, Ukraine, Italy and Greece.

It should be noted that this measure aims to increase the regional openness for tourism and accelerate proper infrastructure development.

According to the governor of Hainan Province, Shen Xiaoming said Russia is the largest source of tourism that entering the island. In 2017, 284 thousand of Russians visited Hainan.

The city of Sanya was connects eight direct flights from Moscow, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk, Vladivostok, Khabarovsk, and Ulan-Ude.

Earlier, Chinese President Xi Jinping during a commemorative 30th anniversary of the founding of Hainan Province reported that the authorities intend to establish a free-trade zone on the island.

In February, Deputy Head of the Federal Agency for Tourism Alexei Konyushkov said that the flow of tourists from China to Russia in order to visa-free in 2017 has increased until 20%, than 2016.