A record number of international travelers visited China’s southernmost province of Hainan over the past month, following the launch of special customs operations across the entire tropical island on Dec 18, 2025.
Immigration authorities reported that in the first month after the launch of special customs operations, inbound foreign arrivals to Hainan surged by 60 percent year on year, reaching approximately 70,000 visits.
While much of the Northern Hemisphere is experiencing winter, the tropical city of Sanya offers a warm escape.
"This is our family’s first time in China. What we want the most is to go to the sea at the Yalong Bay [in the eastern suburbs of Sanya]. I feel very warm now," said Anna, a tourist from Russia.
Hainan boasts one of China’s most generous entry policies, granting visa-free access to citizens from 86 other countries. This ease of travel has already led many visitors to return.
"We arrived at a second time in Sanya. It’s very good and beautiful. The food is very delicious," said Nandin Erdene, a tourist from Mongolia.
The launch of island-wide special customs operations in the Hainan FTP, the world's largest FTP by area, has enabled freer flows of goods, capital, personnel and data, supported by zero tariffs, low tax rates and a simplified tax system.
Nationwide, over 70 percent of foreign visitors enter China visa-free, while in Hainan, that figure exceeds 90 percent, highlighting the island's commitment to openness.
One factor driving this growth is the increase in international flights. Over the past year, Hainan added 22 new routes, bringing the total to 92.
With the implementation of island-wide special customs policies and the ongoing optimization of cross-border aviation regulations, market activity in Hainan has seen a notable increase compared to the same period last year. Passenger inquiries and bookings have risen by nearly 20 percent, according to Marchuk Igor, a representative from Scat Airlines in Sanya.
Scat Airlines, based in Kazakhstan, operates a route between Prague and Sanya, with a technical stopover in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, making it a rare example of a carrier allowed to fly passengers directly between two foreign countries - a first of its kind in China - underscoring Hainan’s initiative to liberalize its aviation market.
To accommodate the rising number of visitors, infrastructure upgrades are also in progress.
"We’ve added 17 new inspection channels, equipped with front desk inspection device and other professional equipment. This has both enlarged the capacity and improved the clearance efficiency of our customs," said Leng Jiang, an immigration officer at Sanya Phoenix Airport.
Hainan has long been a favorite domestic destination, and with its expanding access and air links, its beaches are now attracting even more international visitors.
Record international visitor numbers reported following launch of special customs operation in south China's Hainan FTP
