Starting May 1, tourists from 59 countries, including the Philippines, will be able to enter and stay in the Chinese province of Hainan without a visa for 30 days, according to China’s official news agency.
Xinhua News Agency said the 30-day visa-free access to Hainan island has been granted to citizens from 59 countries.
Group and individual tourists can stay in Hainan visa-free for up to a month on condition that they book their tour through accredited travel agencies.
Hainan, dubbed “China’s Hawaii,” is currently offering only a 15-day visa-free stay for group tourists from 26 countries, including the Philippines. These group tours have to be organized by international travel services approved by the National Tourism Administration of China and registered in Hainan Province.
The new policy for Hainan is part of China’s effort to build the province into “a free trade port with Chinese characteristics,” as stated in the guidelines on supporting Hainan to deepen reform and opening up, released by central authorities Saturday.
新华社北京4月18日电（记者 刘奕湛、丁小溪）公安部18日召开新闻发布会，国家移民管理局在发布会上通报,经国务院批准,自2018年5月1日起,在海南省实施59国人员入境旅游免签政策,免签入境停留时间为30天，进一步支持海南全面深化改革开放。
国家移民管理局副局长曲云海介绍，与过去相比，此次实施的入境免签政策包含三方面内容:一是扩大免签国家范围，适用入境免签政策的国家由26国放宽到59国,有利于鼓励更多的外国人赴海南旅游,形成更加开放的格局；二是延长免签停留时间，免签入境后停留时间从15天或21天统一延长至30天,促进入境旅游市场更加活跃发展；三是放宽免签人数限制，在保留旅行社邀请接待模式的前提下,将团队免签放宽为个人免签,满足外国游客个人出行的需要。
据了解，为积极支持海南省经济建设发展,公安部此前就出台了一系列出入境便利政策。经国务院批准,从2000年即同意海南实施21国人员团队入境旅游15天免签政策,并于2010年进行了优化,将免签入境政策适用国家增加至26个。
政策适用国家包含：俄罗斯、英国、法国、德国、挪威、乌克兰、意大利、奥地利、芬兰、荷兰、丹麦、瑞士、瑞典、西班牙、比利时、捷克、爱沙尼亚、希腊、匈牙利、冰岛、拉脱维亚、立陶宛、卢森堡、马耳他、波兰、葡萄牙、斯洛伐克、斯洛文尼亚、爱尔兰、塞浦路斯、保加利亚、罗马尼亚、塞尔维亚、克罗地亚、波黑、黑山、马其顿、阿尔巴尼亚、美国、加拿大、巴西、墨西哥、阿根廷、智利、澳大利亚、新西兰、韩国、日本、新加坡、马来西亚、泰国、哈萨克斯坦、菲律宾、印度尼西亚、文莱、阿联酋、卡塔尔、摩纳哥、白俄罗斯。