SANYA /China/, September 27. /TASS/. Phoenix International Airport in the city of Sanya (Hainan Province, southern China) is introducing multiple payment methods for the convenience of passengers, Sanya Daily reported.

According to the newspaper, more and more travelers are choosing Sanya International Airport due to the progress in the construction of a free trade port on the island. Now, passengers can use not only cash and bank cards to pay for goods and services at the airport, but also payment systems such as WeChat Pay and Alipay, as well as digital yuan.

The article noted that Phoenix Airport's food and beverage outlets, duty-free shops and other retail outlets can accept foreign bank cards for payment. There are also several currency exchange offices and ATMs on the territory of the airport, the newspaper writes.

On June 1, 2020, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council of China issued a program for the establishment of the Hainan Free Trade Port. The document provides for the creation of a special customs zone on this tropical island. The Chinese authorities intend to complete the construction of the free port in 2025, by which time the island should have a mechanism in place to ensure open trade. By 2035, the authorities plan to ensure free trade and investment, cross-border capital movement, travel and cargo transportation in Hainan.

In 2023, more than 90 million Chinese and foreign tourists visited Hainan Province, up 49.9% from 2022.