Hainan Province to promote cultural cooperation with France

Hainan, South China’s tropical island province, aims to promote cultural and tourism cooperation with France in honor of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and France this year.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France, the two countries will jointly host the Year of Culture and Tourism to provide cultural experiences to the two peoples.

Hainan, with diverse tourism resources, will launch a series of activities, such as promoting the establishment of a European center for Hainan tourism and cultural exchange in France.

It will hold tourism promotion activities, to enhance bilateral cooperation in culture and tourism, said the provincial department of tourism, culture, radio, TV and sports.

Europe is an important overseas tourist source market for Hainan.

About 410,000 European tourists, including 7,381 French tourists, visited Hainan in 2019, said the department, adding that he number of inbound tourists from France and other European countries has great space for growth.

China is implementing a unilateral visa-free policy for ordinary passport holders from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia on a trial basis.

From December 1, 2023, to November 30, 2024, holders of ordinary passports from these six countries may enter China visa-free for business, tourism, visiting relatives and friends and transit for no more than 15 days.

The visa-free policy will create more opportunities for direct exchanges between Hainan and Europe.

In the future, the two sides will deepen cooperation in tourism promotion, cultural exchanges and cultural heritage protection and inheritance, according to the department.

China aims to build Hainan into an international tourism and consumption center by 2025 and a globally influential tourism and consumption destination by 2035.