Residents in six provinces and regions in north China will be allowed to tour Taiwan from July 18, the mainland-based Cross-Strait Tourism Exchange Association (CTEA) announced Monday.

The move would allow people in all the mainland's 31 provinces, regions and municipalities to travel to the island.

The six areas are Qinghai Province, Gansu Province, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Tibet Autonomous Region, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, according to the notice issued by CTEA on Monday.

Taiwan agreed to allow residents from 13 mainland provinces and municipalities to tour Taiwan in July 2008. The access was extended to another 12 provinces in February 2009.

The notice said the association would make more efforts to ensure mainlanders' visits to the island after the latest extension.

CTEA Chairman Shao Qiwei said earlier that more than one million mainland tourists were expected to visit Taiwan in 2010.

The island attracted 606,000 mainland tourists in 2009.