China's Hainan Province draws growing inbound tourists with immersive cultural experiences

Hainan Province in south China has emerged as a popular destination for inbound tourists this summer despite soaring temperatures, driven by its visa-free policies, immersive cultural experiences and improved travel services.

From wellness tourism and intangible cultural heritage programs to tropical rainforest villages, the island is attracting a growing number of international visitors seeking authentic Chinese culture.

Supported by visa-free access for citizens of 86 countries, the island province now operates 78 international passenger air routes linking 45 cities in 25 countries and regions.

Sanya, one of the island's most popular destinations, saw inbound tourist arrivals rise 43 percent year on year in June, despite the summer heat, as local authorities expanded tourism offerings and improved travel convenience.

"We are focusing on developing immersive tourism products featuring wellness, intangible cultural heritage, nighttime performances and outdoor sports. All 14 of our A-level scenic spots have completed multilingual signs and guide services, multilingual menus have been introduced, and foreign bank card payment terminals have been widely installed across the city," said Zhang Hao, deputy director of the tourism development bureau of Sanya City.

Enhanced tourism products and visitor-friendly services have encouraged many overseas travelers to return to Hainan.

According to the China Tourism Academy, more than 60 percent of inbound tourists list experiencing Chinese culture as a primary purpose of their trips.

In Maona Village, a Li ethnic community nestled in the tropical rain forest of Wuzhishan, foreign visitors are joining tea-picking and tea-processing activities to experience Chinese tea culture firsthand.

They also take part in traditional bamboo pole dancing with local villagers, gaining a deeper understanding of customs and heritage of the Li ethnic group.

Two snow leopards roaming through a rocky mountain valley in Menyuan Hui Autonomous County, northwest China's Qinghai Province, was spotted by a herder grazing his livestock nearby, who recorded the rare scene in his smart phone.

The footage shows the leopards moving calmly in grass and among bare rocks, occasionally pausing to look around, in fusion with the natural environment.

Snow leopards are a species under the first-class state protection in China, demanding high-quality habitats and intact food chains. Strengthened wildlife protection measures, including rotational grazing, mountain patrols and rescue efforts for wild animals, have worked to restore the fragile alpine ecosystem in recent years. As the environment improves, populations of rare species are steadily recovering.