With this year’s May Day Holiday coming to its end, Hainan Integrated Media Center and Hainan Picture Association co-organized a blind box giving and opening activity aimed at tourists on May 4 at scenic spots in five cities and counties across Hainan.

Lucky domestic and international tourists visiting the Cloudscape Library in Haikou City in the north, Puqian Arcade Street in Wenchang City in the east, Nanwan Monkey Islet in Lingshui Li Autonomous County in the south, Dongpo Academy in Danzhou City in the west and Baihualing Tropical Rainforest Cultural Tourism Zone in Qiongzhong Li and Miao Autonomous County in the center of the island received blind boxes containing local souvenirs and snacks and conveying the hospitality of the tropical island province before heading home.

A tourist shows the blind box she received

(Photo by Wuduosheng, Hainan Daily)

Each blind box was filled with “Hainan Treasures” such as beef jerky, dried sweet potatoes, ingredients for Qingbuliang and Zaopocu, pastry made of Shanlan rice, coconut sugar, sugar rice cakes, lychee cakes,  pork and egg-yolk Zongzi, coconut rice rolls, Wenchang Chicken, and aged-salt toothpaste.

“We came to Haikou to watch a May holiday concert. It's such a nice surprise to receive a blind box!”Ronnie Lau,  from the Hong Kong SAR, was delighted to see speciality snacks from different places in Hainan inside his box, Mr. Zhang and his family, visiting Hainan for the first time from Henan Province in northern China, were taking in the mountain scenery and breathing in the fresh tropical rainforest air around Baihua Ridge in Qiongzhong County when they received their blind box: “the box is like an introduction to the various destinations and cuisine of Hainan.” He felt that it was a nice idea, especially for tourists from other parts of China, inviting them to come back and explore the island further on their next visit.

Tourists showing the blind box they received and gifts inside

(Photo by Su Guichu, Hainan Daily)

In Wenchang and Danzhou, the blind boxes weren't simply given away, with tourists needing to participate in a treasure hunt and pop quiz. Kun from Gansu Province in the northwest of China found his box hidden away in the corner of a shop in Puqian Port in Wenchang City. “Every item inside the blind box is something new for me. I think its even better than the Zaopocu for this town is famous,” he exclaimed.

 

Tourists showing the blind box they received and gifts inside 

(Photo by Wu Xingcai, Hainan Daily)

In the shade of a three-hundred-year-old mango tree in the grounds of the Dongpo Academy, tourists were queueing to take part in a pop quiz on Su Dongpo’s years in Hainan. The winners received blind boxes filled with creative cultural products like magnets and stationary featuring Su Dongpo along with local specialty snacks. "It was interesting  for the kids, who were able to learn a bit about Su Dongpo's history and literature and win a prize, allowing them to see a different side of Hainan”,said Liu from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in Southwestern China.

Liza, from Russia, took part in the “check in to receive a blind box” activity at the  Nanwan Monkey Islet. She very much enjoyed her gift, saying that the items inside were “truly representative of Hainan.”

Feedback from tourists who were given the blind boxes reveals that this activity was able to showcase the unique cuisine, lifestyle, and charm of Hainan in a fun and creative way, with many visitors hoping that there would be similar activities in the future.