The Philippines is now part of the list of countries who can travel to Hainan without a visa.
HAINAN- As part of China’s pursuit for its tourism campaign, the country expands its visa-free access to its southernmost province Hainan in 59 countries including the Philippines.
Based on an article in Rappler citing Bloomberg‘s article, dubbed as ‘China’s Hawaii’ due to its akin tropical weather, Hainan will be given less stringent visa requirements than in the rest of the country, as per the new policy.
Qu Yunhai, the Deputy Director of the State Immigration Administration, said in a press conference in Beijing that the proposed policy will take effect on the 1st day of May onwards, allowing foreigners from 59 privileged countries, counting the Philippines to travel in the island for 30 days visa-free.
Yunhai stated that the liberalization goes as part of developments and reforms to nurture the tourism industry and to remake the island as a ‘beacon of openness’ to China.
The policy “embodies our resolve and approach to move one step further to the opening to the outside world,” the Deputy Director said.
To complete China’s goal of positioning Hainan as the ‘Center of International Tourism Consumption’, the National government of China announced that they would allow the development of new activities such as horse racing and other types of lotteries related to international sports and competitions exclusively in the island.
As per the report, the Island has faced slow progress over the years despite its impressive natural beaches and luxurious resorts. In the year 2016, the island only hailed a total of approximately one million tourists, a diminutive figure compared to over seven million foreign visitors in Phuket, Thailand on the same year.
The new rule is being executed by the State Immigration Association in China, a recently formed agency in the country during the government shuffle last March.
