Malaysians Among 320,000 Tourists Going To China's Hainan Island

KUALA LUMPUR, April 23 (Bernama) - Tourists from Malaysia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Russia have accounted for more than 90 per cent of the total tourists to China’s Hainan Island. These countries were among the nearly 320,000 tourists from the 26 countries with visa-free access -- 3.5 times the number recorded in 2016. Meanwhile, more direct flights are planned to countries with visa-free access. Currently, Hainan already has 57 international flights to countries including Malaysia, Germany and Thailand, with plans for at least 16 new overseas routes this year. It aims to have at least 100 overseas routes by 2020. Hainan Island is now a famous tropical resort for overseas tourists with numbers exceeding 1.1 million in 2017 – up nearly 50 per cent year on year, a statement said. Recently the island’s State Immigration Administration said 59 countries will enjoy a 30-day visa-free access to Hainan Island from May 1, to support reform and opening up in China’s southernmost island province. Hainan Tourism Development Commission in a statement said the eased visa-free access is part of China's effort to build the province into ‘a free trade port with Chinese characteristics’. "By extending the policy to individuals and stay to up to 30 days, the government aims to attract more international tourists, nurture the tourism industry and meet the needs of foreign individuals," said the administration's vice head, Qu Yunhai. Director of Hainan Tourism Development Commission, Sun Ying said that the policy will inject vitality into Hainan and bring closer the goal of becoming a world-class destination. --BERNAMA