HAIKOU /China/, October 14. /TASS/. The resort city of Sanya on Hainan Island stimulates international passenger air transportation with subsidies of up to 900 thousand yuan (about $125 thousand at the current exchange rate) for each flight on a new route, the local Tourism Development Board.
The measure applies to licensed companies that meet official requirements, according to officials. The money will be provided when opening new flights both to major foreign cities with developed aviation infrastructure and to relatively small settlements.
The amount of the subsidy will depend on the duration of the flight and the number of passenger seats in the airplane. The circulated statement detailed the conditions for government support to launch regular direct flights to cities that have not been connected to Sanya by air for at least two years.
In order to receive the subsidy, an air carrier must submit an application to Sanya Tourism Board. Based on the application, the authority will sign a tripartite agreement with the company, with the participation of the city's Department of Transportation.
Sanya is China's leading resort, home to more than 1 million people. In 2022, its gross product amounted to 84.71 billion yuan (about $12.2 billion). Its average annual temperature reaches 25.4 degrees Celsius and its coastline is over 200 kilometers long. There are 19 bays in the surrounding waters and about 40 islands suitable for tourism, all of which allow the local government to successfully develop yachting and beach tourism.