HAIKOU /China/, September 18. /TASS/. The visa-free entry regime has enabled the resort city of Sanya in China’s southern Hainan Province to significantly increase the flow of foreign tourists, with their number growing regardless of the season, the Sanya Ribao newspaper reported.
The newspaper compared the ability to visit the island of Hainan without any entry documents to "a magnetic effect" that amplifies the benefits of the Hainan Free Trade Port. The publication noted that ahead of the national holidays of the Mid-Autumn Festival (September 25, 2026) and the National Day of the People’s Republic of China (October 1), Sanya’s tourism industry expects a major surge in visitors despite the end of the summer vacation season.
According to the official data cited by Sanya Ribao, Sanya welcomed more than 716,000 foreign tourists in the first six months of 2026, a 50% increase year-on-year. The calculations show that foreign tourists spent $673 million in the city in the first six months of 2026, up 70%. As a result, the resort city remains a popular tourist destination for travelers worldwide all year round, both in winter and summer.
The newspaper described the visa-free regime as a "golden key" that not only gives Hainan access to tourist flows but also unlocks the Chinese southernmost province’s potential for hosting exhibitions and conferences. For example, in early September, a delegation of around 100 representatives of travel agencies from Russian-speaking countries visited Sanya to exchange experience and to introduce new high-quality tourism products.
The Chinese resort city is attracting the attention of operators not only from Russia and its neighboring countries. Due to the strengthening of Sanya’s international status, the city has won the right to host an annual summit of the Pacific Asia Travel Association in 2027.
In December 2025, Hainan introduced a new customs regime that boosted its local consumer sector activity. It became another key driver of tourism growth. Professor Li Houqiang of the Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences (Southwestern China) said that Sanya has "ten trump cards" for further successful tourism development, including visa-free entry, duty-free trade, beach vacation, wellness tourism, various cultural and entertainment programs. The publication also noted the rise in direct flights from Hainan to Russian cities, which should keep the flow of Russian tourists to the island active all year round.
