More international travelers than ever chose Hainan as their first stop in China during this year's National Day holiday. For many of them, the journey began in Sanya, where they took a blissful sojourn to the seashore before heading on to other China cities such as Shenzhen, Xi'an, Beijing, Shanghai, or Chengdu. After exploring these destinations, they returned to Sanya before departing the country. The result is a multi-city itinerary that begins and ends in Hainan, with several stops scattered across China in between.

More than one million travelers visited Hainan in the first half of this year, according to official figures. In Sanya, arrivals reached 946,000 between January and August, up 47.5% from a year earlier. Traveler spending rose even faster, shooting up by more than 66.9% over the same period. This suggests that travelers are not only staying longer in the tropical province but also spending more during their visits. Rather than simply passing through Hainan, more visitors are now making the island their starting point and base for exploring the rest of China. More open policies and better air connections have helped make that possible.

The Hainan Free Trade Port officially began island-wide special customs operations on December 18, 2025. Since then, the number of countries whose citizens can visit Hainan visa-free has risen to 88. Measures to liberalize air traffic rights and expand island-departure duty-free shopping have also continued to yield results, and air links have improved as well. Hainan offered a total of 92 international and regional passenger routes in 2025, and Sanya now boasts 36 overseas routes serving 29 destinations. As the international flight network expands, Hainan is becoming better connected not only to the rest of the world but also to major cities across China, making it easier for overseas visitors to make it to several destinations in a single trip.

Travelers posed for photos at the Luhuitou Scenic Area in Sanya on October 2. (Photo: Wang Chenglong / Hainan Daily)

Getting to Hainan is only part of the story. The experience once visitors arrive matters just as much. The island now offers a range of services geared toward international travelers, from multilingual assistance and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) wellness programs to seaside resorts. In July, Sanya introduced the "Passport Friendly" initiative, offering special benefits to international visitors and those from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. To take part, travelers share original content about Sanya on overseas social media using the official hashtag #GoChinaInSanya. They can then collect benefit packages from participating businesses and enjoy other discounts. So far, 45 businesses have signed up, including local attractions, duty-free stores, shopping districts, and several international hotel brand groups.

Young visitors from New Zealand learn about TCM ingredients at the Sanya Traditional Chinese Medicine Retreat Center on October 3. (Photo: Wang Chenglong / Hainan Daily)

Hainan's growing appeal to international travelers stems from a combination of more open policies, stronger air links, and better visitor services. The change from a place travelers pass through to one where they begin and end their journeys also reflects how much easier and more fun it's becoming for international visitors to travel to China.