Hainan shines bright as summer tourism flourishes post-pandemic

Children catch river snails in Wangxia Township of Changjiang Li Autonomous County, south China's Hainan Province, July 20, 2023. (Xinhua)

HAIKOU, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Millions of tourists have visited the resort island of south China's Hainan Province this summer to enjoy their summer vacation since the beginning of July.

Wang Shao, a long-time Hainan resident, has hosted five friends from different regions within a month.

"Many of my former classmates and colleagues came to Hainan for vacations with their families. My social media feed is flooded with updates from friends who are visiting Hainan from other places this summer," Wang said.

Tao Zhou, a college classmate of Wang residing in Shanghai, visited Hainan with her husband for a five-day trip last week. Seeking an adventurous experience, Tao decided to rent a car and embarked on a journey along the eastern coastline of the province, with planned stops at essential destinations including the cities of Sanya and Wanning along the picturesque route.

Tao fully immersed herself in her vacation, enjoying activities such as surfing and diving, and savoring local delicacies like vinegar hotpot and seafood. During her time in Sanya, she opted to stay in a luxurious hotel and noticed that even the pricier hotels were experiencing high occupancy rates.

"There are so many tourists that sometimes we need to wait for the rooms before they are ready for check-in," Tao said.

Data shows that Hainan continues to be a popular tourism destination this summer, according to a report named 2023 Hainan Summer Tourism Consumption Trends Report.

A substantial portion of the visitors consists of young people, while families with children are also returning, resulting in a strong demand for family-oriented amenities such as accommodations tailored for parent-child stays and theme parks, the report stated.

Apart from the vibrant tourism scene in the cities along the eastern coast, the western regions of Hainan, including Changjiang Li Autonomous County and Danzhou City, have also seen a surge in tourism activity.

Donning traditional Li costumes, lodging in boat-shaped guesthouses and fishing by the stream have emerged as cherished activities among the visitors.

During this summer holiday, children from urban areas visited a remote ethnic Li village in Changjiang Li Autonomous County. Here, they immersed themselves in the traditional ways of the Li community, forged connections with the natural world, and reveled in the captivating essence of local intangible culture through interactive experiences.

Danzhou has also attracted visitors by organizing sporting events. "Inbound tourism has been lively since April and we have had visitors from countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Republic of Korea," said Hu Yongxing, general manager of the marketing and brand promotion center of Haihua Island, a popular tourist destination in Hainan.

Up to now, Haihua Island has received over 5,000 inbound tourists, about 100 tourist groups since April. As of Aug. 19, Haihua Island received over one million tourists during the summer vacation. The Oubao Hotel on the island with a total of 5,121 rooms achieved an impressive 82 percent occupancy rate, according to Hu.

Dai Bin, the president of the China Tourism Academy, believes that emerging forms of tourism demand, including self-driving tours, RV trips, winter sports, summer retreats, night travel, wellness retreats, educational journeys, and sports-related activities, make a transition from the conceptual stage to the market practice stage.

Dai suggests the development of a tourism experience that is more human-centered, technologically advanced and educational in nature. This entails prioritizing youth educational travel, health-focused tourism for the elderly, leisurely rural sightseeing and introducing tourism products suiting people's consumption preferences and financial capacity, he noted. ■

A girl practices weaving of the Li ethnic group in Wangxia Township of Changjiang Li Autonomous County, south China's Hainan Province, Aug. 19, 2023. (Xinhua)