Hainan's tourism boom continues as Spring Festival approaches

Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, ranked among the nation's top 10 flight destinations during the first week of 2026, with search volumes for flight tickets nearly doubling week on week, according to online travel platform Qunar.

As Chinese travelers prepare for the longest Spring Festival holiday on record — a nine-day break from Feb. 15 to 23 — flight bookings are already up 63 percent compared with the same period last year, according to Shi Ke, a researcher at Qunar's big data research institute.

A tourist tries parachuting in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, May 2, 2025. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng)

Haikou led the surge, with air ticket reservations for the Spring Festival jumping 120 percent year on year, while Sanya recorded a 90 percent increase.

At Haikou's historic Qilou Old Street, a Malaysian tourist paused to take photos with his girlfriend. "We flew from Kuala Lumpur, visa-free. We just bought tickets and came. Very convenient!" he said in fluent Mandarin.

This marks his second visit to Hainan in two years. "My ancestors came from Hainan, but nostalgia isn't the only draw," he explained. "Last time, I went surfing in Wanning. This time, I want to stay in Haikou for a few days and explore at a slower pace."

His experience reflects a broader trend. Qunar data shows that during the first week of 2026, inbound visitors to Sanya rose 28 percent year on year, while arrivals in Haikou increased 15 percent. Tourists from South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and other visa-free or well-connected countries accounted for the majority of international arrivals.

"During the New Year holiday, our visitor numbers rose more than 27 percent, and momentum has remained strong since," said Xu Shili, deputy general manager of Luhuitou scenic area in Sanya.

"When people come, they spend. Revenue from secondary services such as shuttle buses and dining climbed 36 percent. That's encouraging, and we are now planning to introduce new experiential offerings," Xu added.

Hotel occupancy figures tell a similar story. Sanya, Haikou and Wanning led Hainan's accommodation bookings during the first week of January, with Wanning posting a 44 percent increase and the other two cities each surging about 20 percent.

Across the province, hotels in nearly all cities and counties saw rising occupancy, with increases ranging from 10 to 80 percent. Qiongzhong, Wuzhishan and Tunchang topped the list, with hotel bookings surging 84 percent, 73 percent and 60 percent, respectively.

A newly released package of fiscal measures to boost tourism consumption in Hainan took effect Jan. 1. The incentives cover inbound tourism, product development, sports events and cultural performances, supporting the province's push to become an international tourism and consumption center.