The five-day May Day holiday brought a welcome tourism boom to south China's province of Hainan, with a total of 36,000 travelers arriving or departing on 289 international flights, marking a year-on-year increase of 45.8%.

A family poses for a photo at the Luhuitou Scenic Area in Sanya during the May Day holiday. (Photo: Hainan Daily)

Thanks to the province's convenient 59-country visa-free entry policy, which has continued to be optimized, a total of 889,000 trips to and from the island province have been made since the beginning of 2025, an increase of 16.1% over the same period in the previous year. These figures include 421,000 international travelers, representing an increase of 62.5% year-on-year. Visa-free entry increased by 75.7% year-on-year, accounting for 90.3% of the total number of international travelers entering the province.

Why are so many travelers choosing Hainan? A total of 84% of international visitors come to Hainan for vacation. With the increasing frequency of major international events held in Hainan, this year there has been a surge in the number of international travelers visiting Hainan to attend conventions and exhibitions or sports events, to do business, and for other reasons, an increase of nearly 95% compared with the same period last year. 

According to Haikou Customs, since Hainan's 59-country visa-free policy came into effect seven years ago, 1.42 million travelers from all around the world have entered Hainan without needing to take the time and effort to apply for a visa beforehand.

Travelers line up at the airport. (Photo: New Hainan App)

A traveler undergoes passport inspection. (Photo: New Hainan App)

As the Hainan Free Trade Port prepares to begin special customs operations, a total of 63 international passenger routes have been re-opened or newly added, connecting the island province to 142 countries and regions around the globe. The majority of international travelers hail from Russia, Kazakhstan, South Korea, and Singapore, while Mongolia, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, and other countries are gradually emerging as new travel industry source markets for Hainan.