Six Months since Island-wide Special Customs Operations of the Hainan Free Trade Port Commenced — Sanya's Inbound Overnight Visitors Surges Over 50%
City reports 51.5% rise in inbound overnight visitors and 71.5% increase in inbound tourism revenue; 36 international air routes now connect Sanya to 29 international cities.
Sanya, China, 21 June 2026 - Sanya has reported a sharp acceleration in inbound tourism during the first six months since Island-wide special customs operations of the Hainan Free Trade Port commenced. According to data released to coincide with the June 18 six-month milestone, inbound overnight visitors rose 51.5% and inbound tourism revenue climbed 71.5% year-on-year for January-to-May 2026. Over the same period, Sanya Phoenix International Airport processed 612,000 cross-border travellers, a 32.9% increase on the previous year.
Sanya has expanded its international route network to 36 routes serving 29 international cities, launching three new routes and increasing frequencies on key connections including Sanya–Moscow, Sanya–Minsk, and Sanya–Astana. The Sanya–Prague service became China's first operational Seventh Freedom passenger route, enabled by Hainan's open-skies aviation policies. The Sanya Tourism Board has established 23 Sanya Tourism Overseas Promotion Liaison Office across more than ten countries — including Russia, Kazakhstan, and South Korea — to deepen source-market engagement.
Visitor infrastructure has expanded in parallel. Some 6,086 merchants now accept international bank cards, supported by 12,400 foreign-card-compatible POS terminals and 464 ATMs handling overseas withdrawals. The 12345 government hotline operates dedicated desks in English, Korean, Russian, and Japanese, while the Sanya TrustTour Platform guarantees complaint response within three minutes and pre-compensation within thirty minutes.
Sanya's international standing continues to earn independent recognition. Lonely Planet named the city the first recommendation in its "25 Best Beaches in the World" feature, and the 2026 Forbes Travel Guide included eight Sanya resorts and four distinctive wellness spas in its annual ratings.
About the Sanya Tourism Board
The Sanya Tourism Board (STB) is a statutory body established by the Sanya Municipal People's Government. Its mission is to enhance the competitiveness and international reputation of Sanya as a premier global tourism destination and to support the development of Hainan as an international tourism consumption centre under the Hainan Free Trade Port. The STB formulates tourism promotion strategies, coordinates domestic and international publicity, and oversees international tourism exchange and cooperation.
Media Inquires
Sanya Tourism Board — Media & Promotion Department (Overseas Promotion Center)
Email: rio.wang@visitsanya.com
Website: www.visitsanya.com