Sanya, a popular resort city located on the southern tip of Hainan Island, China, has seen its tourism sector rapidly recover in the second half of 2020.

The recovery is mainly due to China’s stabilisation of the Covid-19 epidemic. In 2020, 15.412 million passengers traveled through Sanya Phoenix International Airport, and as long as China continues to ban outbound group travel, destinations like Sanya stands to benefit. Between 1 to 3 January alone, Sanya received 407,400 tourists for the New Year holiday, generating revenues of RMB 964 million.

Located on the southern tip of China’s Hainan Island, Sanya has quickly emerged as a popular destination for tourists not just for China’s domestic travellers but pre-Covid-19 it was attracting international travellers around Asia. It’s latest TV billboard campaign in Time Square New York targeted wealthy travellers.

The number of overnight tourists and total revenue has remained stable since the third quarter of 2020, especially given last year’s unique calendar that saw the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day both occur during Golden Week. As a result, Sanya saw a 12.69% increase year-on-year in tourists during this period, while total tourism revenue skyrocketed by 39.33% year-on-year.

Located on the coast of the South China Sea, with a vast sea area of about 6,000 sq km, Sanya is blessed with extremely clear seawater and magnificent underwater landscape, and the underwater visibility can generally reach 8 to 16 meters, making it one of the best places for all kinds of water and underwater sports.

It also enjoys a tropical climate with long summers and warm winters. In addition to miles of coastline, coconut plantations, iconic fishing ports, and fascinating historical landmarks it home to modern resorts and duty-free shopping.

Sanya Tourism Promotion Board has created a series of promotional themes targeting different tourist segments, such as the recently launched “Wonderland Sanya” which seeks to attract young travellers to explore Sanya’s unique and vibrant possibilities across the five angles of food, travel photography, culture, outdoor activities, and luxury hospitality.