At around 2:00 a.m. on January 1, a flight from Vladivostok, Russia, landed at Sanya Phoenix International Airport. The passengers who disembarked shortly after were the first inbound tourists arriving in Hainan in 2026, receiving heartfelt New Year's greetings.

"We didn't expect such a warm surprise right after leaving the airport!" exclaimed a Russian tourist excitedly, clutching the flowers they received. "We came specifically to Sanya for the New Year. The sunshine and smiles here are the best gifts for the occasion."

The first batch of inbound tourists in 2026 arrives at Sanya Phoenix International Airport.

New Year's Day figures reflect a consistent growth trend

Data from travel platforms showed that on January 1, inbound flight volumes for Haikou and Sanya increased by more than three and five times year-over-year, respectively, leading the nation in growth rate. These figures continue a positive growth trend in inbound tourism that has persisted throughout 2025.

Foreign tourists visit the Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone in Sanya during the New Year holiday period.

Statistics from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports of Hainan Province show that from January to November last year, Hainan received 5.1702 million inbound tourists, a year-on-year increase of 59%. Particularly noteworthy is the strong growth momentum and huge potential demonstrated by the European and American markets—tourist numbers from all major source countries in Europe and North America included in the statistics saw growth: the United Kingdom (10%), France (24.1%), Germany (13.7%), Italy (23.4%), Switzerland (39.6%), Sweden (21.6%), Spain (32.2%), Canada (14.7%), and the US (1.5%), showing an overall steady recovery trend.

"Our homestay was fully booked from December 18th right through to the New Year holiday, with international tourists making up over 10% of our guests," said a homestay owner in Sanya, in comments directly reflecting the popularity of Hainan's inbound tourism market.

Travel fair builds bridges and showcases Hainan's charm to the world

The 2025 China International Travel Mart (CITM 2025) was held in Hainan for the first time from December 19 to 21, 2025, attracting thousands of international travel operators and representatives from 101 countries and regions. At the fair, many of them gave positive feedback on Hainan's tourism offerings and expressed strong willingness to enhance cooperation.

"Hainan boasts abundant tourism resources: not just beaches but also tropical rainforests, ethnic cultures, and space technology experiences. This diversity is highly attractive to the European market," said a Swedish travel agent.

During discussions, a representative of a Spanish travel agency mentioned, "Through the travel fair, we connected with many Hainan-based travel agencies and hotels. We plan to design East Asian itineraries that include Hainan and expect to soon arrange European tour groups to visit this beautiful island on vacation."

International travel operators engage in negotiations with exhibitors at CITM 2025.

Just prior to CITM 2025, Hainan also invited "Hainan International Tourism Promotion Ambassadors" from Europe and America to the province to promote it, resulting in eight cooperation agreements targeting the European and American markets.

Additionally, many professional attendees noted that the six premium themed itineraries launched by Hainan during the travel fair align with the demand of international tourists for in-depth experiences integrating culture, ecology, and leisure, particularly suiting the preferences of European and American travelers.

Precise 'combos' boost inbound tourism from Europe and America

The remarkable growth in European and American source markets has been driven by a set of "combos" that target weaknesses with precision.

One of these is transportation, which is crucial for attracting travelers. Leveraging the Free Trade Port's unique policy advantages regarding seventh-freedom flights, Hainan is fully committed to establishing direct flight networks with Europe and the Americas. The route between Sanya and Prague has been operating with an occupancy rate consistently above 75%. Preparations for the upcoming Haikou-Madrid route have been completed, and it is scheduled to launch in the first quarter of this year.

Passengers on the inaugural Sanya-Prague seventh-freedom flight arrive in Sanya on December 22, 2025.

In 2025, Hainan's tourism promotion team traveled extensively, appearing at ITB Berlin, Europe's leading tourism exhibition in Germany, and hosting a special promotional event in Madrid, Spain, resulting in 12 cooperation agreements inked on-site. The Hainan tourism column, established in collaboration with UN Tourism, has garnered over 800,000 visits.

Hainan International Tourism Promotion Ambassadors visit Wuzhizhou Island in Sanya.

Currently, among the 131-strong corps of "Hainan International Tourism Promotion Ambassadors," covering 39 countries and regions, 45% are from Europe and the Americas. Their hundreds of high-quality posts on overseas social platforms have garnered over 6.2 million total views, proving a broad reach among younger audiences.

Hainan International Tourism Promotion Ambassadors try out diving at Wuzhizhou Island in Sanya.

At the policy level, the 30-day visa-free entry for ordinary passport holders from 59 countries remains in effect in Hainan. Meanwhile, systematic progress is being made in building an international and convenient environment for payment systems, language services, and signage. Late last year, Hainan distributed its first batch of inbound tourism vouchers totaling 5 million yuan through international platforms, directly reducing shopping and sightseeing costs for inbound visitors.