The National Immigration Administration (NIA) has announced that, starting July 30, 2024, international tour groups from Hong Kong and Macao SARs will be eligible to enter China’s southern province of  Hainan visa-free for up to 144 hours. This policy applies to groups of two or more citizens of countries with diplomatic relations with China holding ordinary passports who are coming to Hainan with travel agencies registered in Hong Kong or Macao.

The visa-free travelers may enter and exit together with the group through any open port (including the airport) in Hainan province. They may only visit Hainan Province, and may not travel from Hainan to other parts of the Chinese mainland. The 144-hour stay begins at midnight the day after entry.

In February, NIA also expanded the purposes of travel for visa-free entry to Hainan for visitors from 59 countries, including Russia, the UK, France, and Germany. Visa-free travelers can stay for up to 30 days for reasons including business, family visits, medical treatment, and sports events (but not for work or study).

According to Ctrip, an online travel agency, Hainan's inbound travel bookings have increased by 84% this year, with hotel and flight bookings both up nearly 80%. Bookings from Hong Kong and Macao to Hainan have grown by 60%. Most of Hainan’s international visitors come from Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, Malaysia, Japan, Australia, Russia, Vietnam, the UK, and the Philippines.

The NIA plans to continue updating and improving regional visa-free policies, opening up further and facilitating high-quality development.