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Hainan becomes popular destination for tourism during New Year holidays

According to the online travel agency Ctrip, the recent opening of Hainan's round-the-island tourist highway has been an important boost to the province's tourism development this season

Sanya Wang Chenglong/Hainan Daily

Sanya

© Wang Chenglong/Hainan Daily

HAIKOU /China/, January 2. /TASS/. The southern province of Hainan has become one of the most popular destinations for tourism in China over the New Year holidays. This was reported by the Hainan Daily newspaper with reference to the strategic research center of the leading Chinese online travel agency Ctrip.

According to the data, the recent opening of Hainan's round-the-island tourist highway has become an important stimulus for the rapid development of tourism on in the province this season. Owing to this the province's administrative center Haikou and the large resort of Sanya became one of the three most popular places of rest in the PRC among those who like to travel independently, the report stated.

According to the agency's calculations, the number of orders for car leasing in Hainan at the beginning of the month increased by more than 50% compared to December. About 90% of the cases of individual vehicle leasing are made by visiting tourists, many of whom are from Beijing and Shanghai.

"The New Year's weekend in 2024 was the initial stage of the development of consumer tourism. New Year's Eve celebrations are held all over the island, with Hainan introducing a variety of activities and strategic measures to stimulate consumption," Xie Xiaoqing, a senior researcher at the Ctrip Center, was quoted by the newspaper as saying. "There is still an economic stimulus for tourism development. The tourism market is off to a good start this year."

This year, Ctrip notes, many of the tourists visiting Hainan, apart from beach stays, actively explored the island, stopping at places with scenic natural landscapes. Attendance at some attractions amounted to several dozen people per day.

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