International tourists visit a Chinese New Year shopping festival in Sanya City. (Source: hinews.cn)

During the 2026 Chinese New Year, foreign tourists could be seen spending their hard-earned holiday cash across China's southernmost island-province of Hainan. The island saw a surge in inbound visitors, whose busy wallets highlighted the openness of the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP).

At the Binglanggu (Betel Nut Valley) Li and Miao Cultural Park in Baoting, Li and Miao-style silver jewelry caught the eye of two Russian families. After picking out traditional handicrafts, such as dragon-back cups, silver combs, and bracelets, they made their purchases using their international credit cards.

Hainan saw an 82% increase in inbound tourists (including those from Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR, and Taiwan regions of China) compared to the same holiday period last year. Sanya's Phoenix International Airport alone received 14,500 inbound passengers on international (including those from Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR, and Taiwan regions of China) routes, representing a year-on-year increase of 81.49%.

International tourists visit a Chinese New Year shopping festival in Sanya City. (Source: hinews.cn)

The surge in passenger flow resulted in significantly improved consumption vitality. According to international card payment data released by financial institutions in Hainan, hotels, duty-free shops, and retail have become the top three areas of inbound tourists' spending.

On the hotel side, premium hotels such as Haikou Marriott Hotel have seen a noticeable increase in international guests. As a result, hotels are applying to install ATMs that support foreign-currency exchange and foreign-card payment terminals to meet demand. Tourists from Russia, South Korea, and other countries have become an important source of guests for high-end resort hotels in Hainan. They stay for extended periods and are more willing to spend on premium hotel dining, spa services, and other amenities, driving significant growth in foreign card transactions at hotel venues.

On the duty-free shopping side, CDF Haikou International Duty Free Shopping Complex has seen a steady stream of inbound tourists shopping with international cards. With its diverse product categories and clear price advantages, Hainan's duty-free shopping scene has become a big magnet.

At scenic areas, products featuring Chinese cultural elements, such as Li brocade, silver jewelry, and coconut carvings are being snapped up. At Baoting's Binglanggu (Betel Nut Valley) Li and Miao Cultural Park, inbound tourists generally show strong interest in goods reflecting traditional Chinese culture and ethnic minority cultural elements. At scenic spots like the Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone and Tianya Haijiao in Sanya, jewelry, ornaments, and accessories carved from coconut shells and seashells have proven a big hit. A tourist from Germany who purchased a pair of coconut carving pendants at Nanshan was pleased with their find: "These are handmade and reflect Hainan's tropical vibe; they're the perfect souvenirs."

International tourists traveling in Hainan during the Chinese New Year holiday. (Source: hinews.cn)

Inbound tourists' willingness and confidence to spend have been boosted by continuous improvements in payment options.

According to data from the Hainan branch of the People's Bank of China, during the Chinese New Year holiday, physical international card transactions processed by the six main payment processing institutions in Hainan increased by 117.33% in volume and 88.81% in value year-on-year. Meanwhile, mobile payments with international cards linked through Alipay and WeChat Pay also saw year-on-year growth of 79.75% in transaction volume and 80.36% in value.

By the end of 2025, Hainan had over 50,000 payment terminals accepting international cards, with ATM coverage supporting international card withdrawals at 98.28%. Mobile payments saw year-on-year growth of 97.5% in transaction volume and 99.5% in value.

"Thanks to Hainan FTP special customs operations, policy dividends such as visa-free access for nationals of 86 countries, and improved immigration clearance and international services, Hainan's appeal as an open hub and international tourism-consumption center continues to grow. The synergy between financial openness and institutional innovation in the FTP is accelerating," said Wang Shaohui, Deputy Director of the Bank of China Hainan Financial Research Institute.