Economy

Hainan extends visa-free country list to 26

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-08-17 11:04
Large Medium Small

HAIKOU - South China's Hainan province added six more countries to its visa-free list to attract tour groups, as the island hopes to expand its already burgeoning tourism industry, local authorities said in a press conference Monday.

Related readings:
Hainan extends visa-free country list to 26 High speed railway to link 2 major cities in Hainan
Hainan extends visa-free country list to 26 Property market cools in Hainan: official
Hainan extends visa-free country list to 26 Hainan to spend $517.6b building int'l tourist island
Hainan extends visa-free country list to 26 China's Hainan hopes to avoid property crash

Tourists groups from 26 countries can enjoy visa-free access to Hainan for up to 15 days, after six countries: Finland, Denmark, Norway, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan, were included in the new policy, said an official of the provincial government.

The minimum size requirement of tour groups from Russia, Republic of Korea, and Germany have also been reduced from five to two people, while their maximum duration of stay increased to 21 days.

The easing of the visa policy is among the latest moves to promote tourism in Hainan, China's southernmost island province famous for its beautiful beaches and tropical sceneries.