BEIJING, March 6. /TASS/. Data on tourist activity in China’s southern province of Hainan during the Lunar New Year holiday period (February 16-24) drew particular attention at the first press conference held as part of the “Two Sessions” in Beijing (the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and the National People’s Congress, the CPPCC National Committee and the NPC), the local newspaper Hainan Daily reported.
Spokesperson for the CPPCC National Committee Liu Jieyi said that following the introduction of a special customs regime for the Hainan Free Trade Port at the end of December 2025, the province has recorded a growing level of trade liberalization and expanded international ties. According to him, during the holiday period the volume of duty-free purchases on Hainan increased by 30.8% year-on-year, while the number of foreign tourists arriving visa-free rose by 75.6%. These figures show not only the popularity of tourist destinations in the province but also the growing attractiveness of the Hainan Free Trade Port, the newspaper wrote.
Liu Jieyi noted that the operation of the free trade port zone under the special customs regime in Hainan represents part of a new stage of China’s institutional openness and reflects the country's commitment to implementing high-level reforms and an open-door policy.
The Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television, and Sports of Hainan Province said earlier that the island intends to use the launch of the special customs regime as an opportunity to transition from extensive growth to high-quality development of the tourism sector. By 2035, the goal is to transform Hainan into a tourist destination with global influence. To achieve this, plans are underway to develop international projects, deepen cooperation with global platforms and tour operators, and also promote combined travel routes.