SANYA, January 8. /TASS/. Sanya's Phoenix International Airport in 2019 served a record 20.16 million passengers. According to the Hainan Daily newspaper, the figures have been surpassing the mark of 20 million people for second year in a row.
According to the news putlet, foreign tourist flow to the island increased as well: last year, 1.24 million people passed border control at Phoenix Airport, which is by 29.9% more than in 2018. The number of international flights also increased by 14% in annual terms — up to 8,940.
The airport's customs took a number of measures to manage an increasing number of passengers, as well as ways not to cause serious inconvenience to travelers. According to the newspaper, average time for inspection and border control this year has decreased. Moreover, the customs service introduced a reward system for its employees for efficient work.
In addition to that, customs and the airborne security service are introducing the latest smart technologies for contactless search: infrared thermometers, tomographs and x-rays. For foreign tourists, the airport administration translated signs and announcements into several languages, including Russian, English, Korean, Japanese and French.
At present, Phoenix International Airport is Sanya's main air harbor. It was opened in 1994 and is located 15 km from the city.
In the future, the city authorities plan to build a second airport, which will be located 4 km from the coast on an artificial island.