HAIKOU /China/, October 20. /TASS/. The resort city of Sanya and Haikou, the administrative center of Hainan Province, presented the potential of the southernmost Chinese region in the field of air transport at the Routes World 2023 international air transport conference, which was held in Turkey's capital Istanbul, China Daily reported.
The event was attended by more than 3,000 participants from about 420 specialized companies. Hainan was represented by Meilan (Haikou) and Phoenix (Sanya) international airports, as well as relevant departments in charge of tourism and investment.
Each of the said airports separately signed strategic cooperation agreements with Melbourne and Auckland airports and Cambodia Airways during the conference. Through joint efforts, the parties are expected to better meet the growing demand for international air transportation. It is also expected that such cooperation will accelerate the development of Hainan Free Trade Port into a world-class advanced transportation and logistics hub.
During the event period, Sanya introduced a series of measures to promote the development of tourism, transportation, trade, and strengthen international cultural and humanitarian contacts.
Based on published statistics, the flow of tourists attracted by this leading Chinese resort almost doubled to 21.6 million from 2012 to 2021. Their revenues grew 3.8 times to 74.7 billion yuan ($10.4 billion at current exchange rates). Sanya was visited by more than 35 million tourists in January-August - 58.52% more than in the same period last year.
Sanya is one of the key centers of economic development of Hainan, it is home to more than 1 million people. In 2022, its gross product amounted to 84.71 billion yuan (about $12.2 billion). The provincial government plans to turn the city into a leading financial and economic center with advanced infrastructure that will house the headquarters of leading Chinese and foreign companies. This major population center, also known worldwide as a first-class resort, is being transformed year after year, attracting the attention of more and more investors.