As China observes the National Day holiday, Sanya, a renowned coastal tourism city, is experiencing a peak travel season with a surge of both domestic and international visitors.
During the first three days of the holiday, foreign tourists could be seen at beaches, streets, scenic spots, and traditional Chinese medicine clinics across Sanya.
They were spotted strolling along the seaside, sunbathing in bikinis, experiencing the distinctive cultural features of Hainan’s ethnic groups at scenic areas, or enjoying the appeal of traditional Chinese medicine treatments.
The year 2026 marks the first year of operation following the island-wide independent customs closure of the Hainan Free Trade Port.
Hainan’s visa-free “circle of friends” has expanded to 88 countries, driving a significant increase in port passenger flows.
As China’s southernmost airport port, Sanya Phoenix International Airport ranks highest in Hainan and among the top in China in terms of the proportion of foreign nationals entering and exiting the country.
According to statistics, since the beginning of this year,the inbound and outbound passenger flow at Sanya Phoenix International Airport port has exceeded 918,000 person-times, a year-on-year increase of 30.9 percent, with foreign nationals accounting for 83 percent and the visa-free proportion exceeding 97.1 percent.
The convenient visa-free policy has driven Sanya’s inbound tourism to deliver outstanding results.
Statistics from the Sanya Municipal Bureau of Tourism, Culture,Radio, Television and Sports show that, as the core carrier for building Hainan into an international tourism consumption center,Sanya received 946,000 inbound tourist visits from January to August 2026, a year-on-year increase of 47.5 percent, while total spending by inbound tourists grew by more than 66.9 percent year on year.
On October 1, foreign tourists experienced a bamboo pole dance featuring Hainan Li ethnic characteristics at the Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone in Sanya. (Photo provided by the Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone in Sanya)
On October 1, foreign tourists hiked up the mountain to visit Luhuitou Scenic Area in Sanya. Photo by Zhang Neng
On October 3, foreign parent-child tourists enjoyed themselves at Dadonghai Tourism Area in Sanya. Photo by Zhang Yuehe
On October 3, a foreign tourist experienced traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis and treatment in Sanya, Hainan. Photo by Zhang Yuehe
On December 22, 2025, China’s first seventh-freedom passenger route, the “Sanya⇌Prague” route, was launched, carrying 115 passengers from Prague, the Czech Republic, and 9 crew members to Sanya. Photo by Luo Yunfei
On August 27, several past winners of the Miss Tourism World City pageant appeared in Sanya, Hainan, taking sailboats out to sea to experience the city’s tropical coastal charm. Pictured is Karolina Oliwia Piksa from Poland, the 2025 Miss Tourism World City global champion. Photo by Luo Yunfei
On July 6, members of the 2026 Hainan International (Italy) Youth Exchange Delegation sang the Chinese song “Please Come to Tianya Haijiao” in chorus at the Tianya Haijiao Scenic Area in Sanya. Photo by Zhang Yuehe
On July 5, in Sanya, Hainan, Italian teenagers displayed the paper-cut window decorations they made themselves. Photo by Zhang Yuehe
On May 21, Russian tourists experienced traditional Chinese medicine wellness services at Atlantis Sanya Resort. (Photo provided by Atlantis Sanya)
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