Hainan sees tourism boom over New Year holiday, with cross-border trips expected to reach 33,500

Southern China's tropical island province of Hainan has seen record tourism and consumption over the New Year holiday, running from Thursday to Saturday.

On New Year's Day, the island's three major airports handled 1,065 flights and over 169,500 passenger trips.

Inbound and outbound travel has also increased, with entries and exits across Hainan's ports expected to reach 33,500 during the three-day holiday.

The 2026 New Year holiday marks the first public holiday after Hainan -- the world's largest free trade port by area -- officially launched island-wide special customs operations on Dec 18.

The FTP policies include visa-free access for travelers from 86 countries, as well as expanded visa-waiver arrangements for cruise passengers and tour groups, making the resort island with stunning coastal landscapes and rich ethnic cultural heritages an alluring destination for international tourists.

Bookings for international flights to the renowned tourism city of Sanya have jumped by 500 percent year-on-year, while bookings to Haikou, the capital of Hainan, have surged by over 300 percent, with visitors mainly from Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Airports have boosted capacity to ensure tourists enjoy smooth journeys.

"My family and I decided to come here and see the changes in Hainan, and enjoy the delicious food and beautiful scenery here. We've planned a six-day tour around the island," said a traveler from Malaysia.

"The scenery is absolutely stunning, and we can also go swimming. It's winter now, but we can still sunbathe here. In many other places, you can't walk around in just one layer of clothing like this. I think scenic spots such as Luhuitou Peninsula and Houhai Village are really great, and there are plenty of tasty food too," said a tourist from Russia.

Hainan's duty-free policy also attracts international visitors. Not only can they purchase sought-after international brands at lower prices there, they can also easily get premium Made-in-China products.

For the New Year holiday, duty-free shopping centers across the island have launched festive promotions and interactive events to further boost consumption.

"When I come here, I'm actually much more interested in Chinese brands. And I know the quality is just as good, if not better than in many cases. Given that it expands the opportunities for shopping for foreigners like me, it's something only to be appreciated," said Vincent Thomes, a shopper from Canada.

Hainan sees tourism boom over New Year holiday, with cross-border trips expected to reach 33,500

Ice and snow activities have attracted more visitors across China during the three-day New Year holiday that began on Thursday, with destinations upgrading services and introducing new experiences to boost winter tourism and consumption.

At the Jizhou International Ski Resort in north China's Tianjin, visitor numbers have surged during the holiday. To accommodate demand, the resort has opened 11 ski runs, added new snow-making equipment, upgraded more than 5,000 sets of ski gear, and deployed over 200 professional instructors.

To meet visitors' needs, the resort also has offered two free public classes each day to help beginners master basic skills and safety knowledge. Shuttle bus services have been expanded between nearby hotels and the resort, providing seamless transportation for guests.

"There are shuttle buses from the hotel to the ski resort every 20 minutes, wich I think is a very good service," said Ma Xinping, a tourist.

Hotels in the surrounding area have also benefited from the rising popularity of ice-and-snow tourism.

"Hotel rooms were nearly fully booked during the holiday, and this year's revenue is expected to increase by more than 50 percent compared with previous years," said Zong Qinghe, general manager of the Tianjin Jizhou International Ski Resort.

Meanwhile, Huangshan City in east China's Anhui Province is also tapping into its winter tourism potential by rolling out new ice-and-snow-themed attractions.

At an ice-and-snow entertainment venue in the city's Changyuan Village, snowmaking machines have been operating continuously, creating a winter wonderland where children have been building snowmen, having snowball fights and enjoying snow slides amid laughter and excitement.

"I built a snowman and had a snowball fight here. I'm really happy," said Chen Xiaohan, a tourist.

According to Wang Fei, head of the venue, the whole place is divided into three main zones, including a photo-taking area, a snow-play area and a slide zone. She added that the attraction received nearly 30,000 visits in the first two days of the New Year holiday.

China's ice and snow tourism gains momentum during New Year holiday