The Hainan International Tourism Promotion Ambassador Certificate Presentation Ceremony, held in Haikou on October 11, saw newly appointed tourism promotion ambassadors receive their appointment certificates, and current outstanding ambassadors awarded for their efforts to promote Hainan. The initiative, launched by the provincial Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sport, aims to encourage content creators from around the globe to share the tropical charm and dynamic openness of the Hainan Free Trade Port with the combined millions of followers.

An expanding cohort

At the event, organizers laid out unique Hainan goodies, including zaopocu and Hainan yellow lantern chili-flavored drinks, exquisite Li brocade, and coconut carving cultural products, which wowed attendees. Performances, including Li ethnic bamboo and woodwind musical numbers, and songs by ambassadors and local singers, were also warmly received.

Jeremy Grinan, a member of the inaugural batch of Hainan International Tourism Promotion Ambassadors appointed last year, shared his perspective on Hainan, drawing from his 15 years of living in the province. He expressed his deep affection for Hainan, highlighting its cuisine, landscapes, and culture.

Over the past year, these roving ambassadors have posted numerous interesting and innovative short videos based on their experiences in Hainan, allowing global audiences to see the island's charm and advancing the overseas promotion of Hainan's culture and tourism.

At the event, Jubdatul Arefin, Liakhova Albina, Kamal Bishowkarma, and Aleksei Andreev received the Frequent Flyer Award for their high content volumes. Tommy Coleman, Yasmin Von Roon, Robert Adolf, and Chika Terazawa were awarded the High Flyer Award in recognition of their impactful work.

26 content creators from countries and regions, including China's Hong Kong and Macao SARs, the United States, Australia, Russia, and Malaysia, were officially appointed Hainan International Tourism Ambassadors, joining the first batch appointed last year. This expansion brings the total number of ambassadors to over one hundred. In this role, the ambassadors will continue to showcase a multidimensional, vibrant, and captivating Hainan to the world. They aim to attract more international tourists to visit the Hainan Free Trade Port and experience its unique landscapes and cultural heritage.

“Having lived in Hainan for eight years, I have witnessed its incredible development and transformation, especially with the establishment of the Hainan Free Trade Port. Through my camera and my travels, I feel truly lucky to contribute my small creative piece to letting the world know about this amazing place,” said Aleksei Andreev, a Hainan International Tourism Promotion Ambassador from Russia and one of the recipients of this year’s Frequent Flyer Award. He hopes that more people joining the ambassador team will mean a greater number of high-quality, meaningful works in the future, presenting a dynamic, confident, and hospitable Hainan to the world.

Immersive experiences

Before the ceremony, 35 Hainan International Tourism Promotion Ambassadors embarked on an in-depth tour of Haikou, gathering footage for their upcoming content.

On the morning of the 11th, the ambassadors visited the Haikou Dongpo Old Pier and boarded the Hailü 01 pleasure cruiser. Enjoying the gentle sea breeze, they admired the majestic seascape of Haikou Bay and enjoyed traditional Laobacha (Old Dad’s Tea).

Later, the group arrived at the Qilou Historical and Cultural Quarter. As they strolled along the streets, the century-old Nanyang (Southeast Asian)-style Qilou arcade buildings drew their excited gasps. Here, they visited intangible cultural heritage handicraft and cultural products stores, interacted with local vendors, and immersed themselves in the historical culture and lively local atmosphere of Haikou.

“The Laobacha on the cruise was fantastic! With the sea view and the delicious food, everything felt so local. It's highly recommended!” exclaimed Sounita Phongmany, an international student in Hainan. “I will share my wonderful experiences in Hainan with my followers, and I hope my sharing will allow more international tourists to feel Hainan's charm.”

From October 11th to 15th, the group will embark on a deep dive into Hainan, covering Haikou, Baoting Li and Miao Autonomous County, Lingshui Li Autonomous County, and Sanya. Offering immersive experiences of Hainan's culture, cuisine, and natural landscapes, the journey aims to boost the island’s global promotion and attract more international visitors.

Creation touching all corners

The world's largest free trade port, Hainan, is renowned for its abundant resources, tropical ambiance, and diverse culture. The combination of Hainan’s visa-free entry for citizens from 59 countries and China’s national 240-hour visa-free transit policy enables ordinary passport holders from 86 countries to visit Hainan without a visa, leading to a steady rise in “Hainan Travel.”

Since Hainan began its global recruitment of tourism promotion ambassadors, it has attracted over a hundred content creators from 37 countries and regions, covering key tourism source markets including China's Hong Kong and Macao SARs, Europe, America, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia. These ambassadors share a combined social media presence of over 10 million followers.

Over the past year, the ambassadors have promoted Hainan at major international and domestic events, such as Paris Fashion Week, the Beijing International Film Festival, and the China International Consumer Products Expo. Between March and September, they published 546 posts on overseas platforms. Using hashtags like #hainantravel and #hainanvisafree, they conveyed Hainan's island scenery, ethnic culture, and visa-free policies to overseas target markets. Notably, during the first cultural tourism creation tour held in June, 19 content creators from 12 countries undertook a six-day immersive journey in Hainan. Their posts, showcasing Hainan’s diverse culinary and cultural charm, surpassed 5 million views, effectively propelling the province’s cultural and tourism image onto the international stage.

A representative from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports of Hainan Province stated that the efforts of Hainan’s tourism promotion ambassadors are sure to draw more international communication talents to visit the island and document and share its stories with the world.