HAIKOU, February 11. /TASS/. The southern Chinese province of Hainan is developing a unique “natural brand” with an international focus, the Liaowang news outlet reported.

Hainan Province, which has the largest tropical forest area in China, is actively developing eco-tourism and wellness services under the unified “tropical forest” brand, striving to become a global center for green tourism. A key asset in this project is the Rainforest National Park, which covers over 4,200 square kilometers. A comprehensive "tropical forest plus" model is being created based on this park, integrating tourism, wellness, and cultural heritage. This strategy transforms environmental resources into economic benefits while strictly adhering to environmental protection standards.

According to the news outlet, a striking example of the transition from a raw materials economy to sustainable development is the transformation of the village of Maona in the mountainous district of Wuzhishan. Local residents who previously collected rubber now earn an annual family income of over 200,000 yuan ($28,000) from tourism.

The 466-kilometer circular tourist trail around the national park has become an axis of development. A network of ecological trails has been established along it, offering research programs, ethnographic excursions to the villages of the Li and Miao ethnic groups, and active recreation. Popular activities include yoga in the rainforest and traditional craft workshops.

A new trend is "forest medicine." The forests' rich flora, including over 2,000 species of medicinal plants, forms the basis of tropical wellness. There are already dozens of specialized centers in the province, four of which have national status. They offer programs combining climatotherapy, traditional Li and Miao medicinal practices, such as herbal baths, and modern medical wellness techniques.

Given the province's growing popularity and Hainan's development as a free trade port, one of the key tasks is to attract foreign tourists. To this end, there are plans to strengthen cooperation with global tour operators, develop a multilingual service environment, and actively promote the “Hainan - Tropical Forest” brand on international platforms. Hainan is thus forming a multifunctional ecological economy where protecting unique nature, improving the lives of the local population, and developing attractive tourist products go hand in hand, creating a model for the sustainable development of similar regions.