HAIKOU /China/, 17 March. /TASS/. More than 7.5 thousand foreign guests in 2024 used medical services and underwent recovery under the programs of traditional Chinese medicine in the resort city of Sanya (southern Hainan Province), the corresponding figure increased by 482.33% in annual terms, China News Service reported with reference to the deputy head of the municipal committee on hygiene and health Huang Lijuyu.
According to the official, last year the income from such programs increased by 249.48% to 2.84 million yuan (about $ 400 thousand). In January 2025, Sanya welcomed 984 people from overseas through medical tourism, an increase of 14.68% in the number, while revenue went up 428.59% to 1.06 million yuan ($149,200).
The city of Sanya has become very popular with foreign tourists in recent years, who come there to undergo treatment under the programs of traditional Chinese medicine. Sanya is one of 54 centers across the country, which were established by the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine in April 2024 as national pilot zones for the promotion and development of traditional Chinese medicine.
Health tours to Sanya for overseas tourists have been organized for more than 20 years, the news service states. Given the high demand for medical tourism, the city's Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital has taken the lead in providing such services, which has also become the country's first and Hainan's only national export base for services related to traditional Chinese medicine.
Earlier, Hainan Province released a three-year plan to develop healthcare on the island, which runs from 2025-2027. The program calls for diversifying resources and promoting various projects in the province, including those related to traditional Chinese medicine. The city of Sanya has a key role to play in this area, given its tourism potential and its unique climate.