HAIKOU /China/, December 11. /Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in the Chinese city of Sanya (southern Hainan Province) saw its throughput exceed 20.37 million people by the beginning of December this year, which became a new historical record for the airport, the Hainan Daily newspaper reported.
As of December 9, according to the paper, the airport served about 128 thousand flights. The highest figures were in July. Then passenger traffic was at 1.79 million people, and the number of flights served in one month amounted to 11.3 thousand.
Sanya airport continues to optimize its network of served routes amid growing market demand, the newspaper said. Phoenix Airport is paying special attention to domestic flights to such destinations as Beijing, Chengdu and Chongqing. The geography of international flights is also expanding. Over the past year, nine international and regional routes were reopened, covering flights to Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia and Central Asia.
The third phase of the renovation and expansion of Phoenix Airport also officially kicked off on November 20. All of this will subsequently enhance the comprehensive operating capacity of the air harbor. Earlier it was reported that the international terminal of the airport will be able to serve up to 3 million passengers annually after the reconstruction is completed.
The city of Sanya is among the most popular resort centers of the province. By 2025, the authorities intend to turn Hainan into an "international center of tourism and consumption". The Chinese island is often referred to as "Eastern Hawaii": natural landscapes, tropical forests, a developed hotel chain combined with beaches and a coastline stretching along more than 1,900 kilometers attract guests from the most remote parts of the world.