The 2026 New Year holiday is the first holiday following the launch of the Hainan FTP's island-wide special customs operations. Hainan's cultural tourism consumption market continues to thrive with offerings that have attracted both domestic and international tourists, marking a strong start to the year.

The first batch of inbound tourists in 2026 arrives at Sanya Phoenix International Airport.

Data from China's travel platform Qunar shows that New Year flight bookings to Haikou and Sanya saw the highest growth nationwide. The two cities also boasted the fastest growth in inbound flight volumes, increasing by over three times and five times, respectively, compared to the previous year.

Round-island road trips have become a popular choice for tourists seeking to explore the island at their own pace. Road trips departing on New Year's Day from Sanya and Haikou saw an 81% and 96% year-over-year increase in popularity, with the cities ranking as the top two most popular starting points for road trips nationwide. Looking at hotel occupancy figures, the most popular destinations were Sanya, Haikou, Wanning, Lingshui, and Wenchang.

During the New Year's holiday, foreign tourists visited the Sanya Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone.

Meanwhile, music festivals in Sanya and Danzhou, which blended international elements with island charm, attracted a large number of young tourists. Changying Resort Wonderland, a major theme park in Haikou, welcomed families and young visitors with themed itineraries and festive activities, with daily visitor numbers reaching nearly 20,000.

Tourists at the Changying Resort Wonderland 

On the first day of the New Year holiday, the main duty-free shopping malls in Sanya and Haikou experienced impressive foot traffic. The robust shopping demand directly boosted occupancy rates at nearby hotels, with a year-on-year increase ranging between 1 to 1.5 times.

Shenchong Volcano Electronic Music Festival

Music, shopping, road trips, culture, ecology... the diverse consumption scenarios driven by the province's "tourism+" development dynamic are burnishing Hainan's global image as an open travel destination with plenty to see and do. A spokesperson for the Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports of Hainan Province stated that during the 2026 New Year and Spring Festival holidays, Hainan will host a total of 177 tourism, cultural, and sports events, including 87 tourism promotion activities, 69 cultural performances, and 21 sports competitions, ensuring the island continues to exemplify its "all the sun, all the fun" brand during the winter period.