Youth the target as Sanya aims to be international tourist destination
Print Edition
A group of young foreign tourists went on a fantastic journey to Sanya, a popular coastal destination in south China’s Hainan Province. The exhilarated youngsters were fascinated by the picturesque scenery, vibrant local culture, eco-friendly traveling environment and the delectable culinary delights that Sanya has to offer.
They appreciated the city’s breathtaking beauty and experienced its splendid culture as part of the program “Travel The World, Stay In Sanya,” hosted by the Sanya Tourism Board and co-hosted by Shanghai Daily from September 8 to 10.
Sanya’s development has been put on the fast track under the master plan to build Hainan Island into a globally influential and high-level free trade port by the middle of the century. The Sanya Tourism Board has also been making efforts to attract a younger demographic, resulting in the growing popularity of the tourist paradise amongst the younger generation.
In the first half of 2023, the tropical city reaped an overnight tourism revenue of 47.53 billion yuan (US$6.5 billion), posting a significant annual increase of 80.5 percent. Of the total revenue, 47.283 billion yuan was generated domestically, representing an 80.54 percent year-on-year gain; overseas overnight travelers spent US$35.579 million, up 59.62 percent from a year earlier.
Sanya, as one of the most popular domestic travel destinations for Chinese tourists, has become a trend-setting destination with the construction of a free trade port, the benefits of tax-free policies, continuous improvement of infrastructure, and various theme activities hosted by the tourism board.
According to the Sanya Tourism Big Data Platform, young travelers aged between 18 and 35 accounted for 37.2 percent of the total inbound passengers at Sanya Airport in 2022 – the highest percentage among all age groups. The trend of younger travelers in the Sanya tourism market has become more pronounced this year. In May, the contribution of travel spending by Generation Z accounted for 38.1 percent of the total, ranking first among all age groups.
Albert Yip, director general of the Sanya Tourism Board, stated that the board will continue to leverage the advantages of Internet platforms, big data, and high traffic to help develop Sanya into a younger and more international city, as well as an international tourist destination. In response to market changes, the board has launched a series of unique events, such as the Strawberry Music Festival, Good Travel Festival, Sanya Coffee Festival, and the “Youth Wonderland” Sanya City Walk, aimed at attracting young tourists and unlocking the full potential of the city’s tourism market.
In a bid to continuously enhance Sanya’s international image and attract more international tourists, the tourism board has made best use of the 59 countries’ visa-free policy within the free trade port, and implemented various measures such as expanding international air routes, organizing overseas promotion events, and attracting more international sporting event IPs, which have already shown initial results. This year, Sanya not only resumed air routes to China’s Hong Kong, and international destinations such as Seoul, Jakarta, Hanoi, Almaty, but also the cruise route between Hong Kong and Sanya. Tourism promotion events were held in Russia and South Korea, and it has also introduced many international sports events such as the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) golf tournament.
In order to deepen its image as a youthful and international city, Sanya has launched the “Visit Sanya At Ease” platform which includes a pre-payment compensation mechanism, to ensure that tourists can enjoy a safer and more reliable travel experience in the city.
The rapid development of tourism in Sanya is just a microcosm of its continuous development. The city is being built as an international tourism destination and a high-tech innovative hub in the context of the Hainan Free Trade Port, and it has achieved fruitful results. Sanya has not only attracted tourists from home and abroad, but also many foreign young professionals who have chosen to work and live in the city.
Sanya’s sound and international business environment has enticed numerous foreign investors, including Ulrich Akos from Hungary.
Akos relocated to Sanya two years ago, and will open Dinner In The Sky, an international-brand restaurant , at Haitang Bay in October.
“I really like the climate of Sanya. It is China’s No. 1 tropical destination,” Akos said.
He gave a thumbs-up to Sanya’s business environment.
“The number of foreign investment and foreigners visiting the city is growing. The local government is supportive,” Akos noted. “I would encourage my partners and friends to come here, invest, and build new projects because I think it is a perfect place for this.”
Russian Anastasiia Korytova has been working as an event planning manager for more than three years.
“Sanya’s climate is very pleasant. It has one of the highest air quality ratings in China, which I greatly appreciate. And we have a wide range of flora and fauna,” said Anastasiia.
Obtaining a work permit and visa is extremely simple, she pointed out.
“I believe Sanya is a truly ideal place to live and work because of its excellent environmental conditions and attractive policies.”
The Sanya Tourism Board said the event was not just a trip, but also a brand-new try-out of its marketing campaign, with the voice of young tourists from around the world heard to promote the international tourist resort and tourist-friendly city globally.
Albert, the director general, said that the board hopes to act as a bridge between the city and the international community.
“We welcome friends from all over the world to come to Sanya for tourism, investment, and entrepreneurship, to stay in Sanya and to build Hainan’s free trade port together,” Albert stated.
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