As 2024 comes to a close, how did the south China's tropical Hainan deliver in terms of culture and tourism? After starting high, the province's tourism economy for 2024 continued to grow steadily.

Incomplete statistics currently project that, over the course of the last year, the island received 97.2 million (or an 8% rise) visits. Of these, the inbound tourists coming from outside of China doubled to one million. With numbers like this, it's little wonder that tourism saw visitors directly inject CNY 204 billion (a year-on-year increase of 12.5%) into the local economy. In particular, the huge rise in inbound tourists serves to demonstrate the strength of Hainan's tourism market.

A series of blockbuster concerts helped Hainan tourism take the center stage.

2024-2025 Hunan Satellite TV Mango TV New Year's Eve Gala. Photo: Feng Shuo

One phenomenal exhibition after another boosted Hainan's cultural appeal.

The "Eternally Romantic Dongpo - Su Shi-Themed Cultural Relics Exhibition" was especially popular. Photo: Li Han

The 2024 Hainan Island Carnival—held for the first time in the summer—kept the low season interesting.

Main venue of the opening ceremony of the 2024 Hainan Island Carnival. Photo: Jiang Jurong

The popularity of "Hainan Travel" bears witness to the "magnetic attraction" of Hainan's inbound tourism...

Russian tourists at the Yalong Bay Tropical Paradise Forest Tourist Area in Sanya. Photo: Huang Qingyou

Looking back on 2024, a multiplicity of “hot and sizzling” scenes reflect the new vitality which travel and tourism are bringing to the province.

New sales and product formats continue to emerge, travel products are constantly being updated, and consumption scenarios are becoming increasingly diverse. Driven by the two-way interaction of supply and demand, Hainan is responding to the domestic and international marketplace with a constant and ever accelerating upgrade of its tourism industry. Taking a close look at the achievements which the southern Chinese province’s culture and tourism environment has made over the past year reveals quite a number of remarkable and exemplary things. These achievements—in both material and spiritual wealth—range from the subtle to the obvious.

Internationalization

As the world's largest Free Trade Port, Hainan is actively working to become more international. In 2024 alone, 69 new international passenger routes were opened. This not only helps to better release the benefits of China's best visa-free policies, it also accelerates the construction of a global tourism promotion system. As Hainan's international visibility and overeas tourism appeal continue to increase, highlights from 2024 include the successful conclusion of the "Overseas Tour Operators Hainan Tour"; the doubling of visits by inbound tourists to over one million; the opening of the province's 12th duty-free mall; 5.5 million visits and CNY 300 billion in sales at duty-free malls; and more than 30 large-scale international sporting events (including the Hainan International Cycling Race, the Hainan International Regatta, the Asian Sailing Championships, and the International Surfing Competition).

The Sanya - Tashkent passenger route opened on December 19

Performing arts

International high-quality performing arts projects that landed in Hainan included Charlie Puth's "Something New," Kanye West's "Vultures Listening Experience World Tour Listening Party," and a series of concerts by the Philadelphia Orchestra; while top domestic acts included Xue Zhiqian, Xu Song, and Zhang Jie.

Kanye West's "Vultures Listening Experience World Tour Listening Party". Photo: Haikou Daily News

Better technology for a better life

With the aid of big data, the quality of tourism services has been comprehensively improved including China's first "easypay" platform for international visitors and the Very Cool Hainan mini program. At the same time world-class major achievements in deep-sea archaeology and commercial space launches are attracting all kinds of attention. 

Screenshot of the "Very Cool Tour Hainan" applet

Culture and arts are on the rise

The traditional spinning, dyeing, weaving and embroidery skills of the Li ethnic group were inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The Li and the Miao Children's Choir from Wuzhishan went to France; the Songyun Academy immersive cultural tourism performance began in Dangzhou; the Hainan Provincial Cultural Relics and Archaeology Research Institute was established; and all sorts of amazing Ming Dynasty relics were retrieved from the bottom of the South China Sea.

On the evening of May 6, 2024 (Paris time), the Li and Miao Children's Choir performed on the same stage with the Le Choeur des Polysons and Association Vent d'Orient Vent d'Occident. Photo: Zeng Ruoxin

Sports are the lifeblood of the people

Deepening the integration of sports and tourism, and promoting the construction of national sports tourism demonstration zones in an orderly manner by Hainan includes the creation of 15 high-quality sports tourism routes, numerous high-quality destinations and sports consumption scenarios, as well as the growth of marine and mountain sports and low-altitude flight tourism. Actively promoting bringing sporting events to scenic areas, neighborhoods, and business districts, nearly 200 competitions have been held.

Wakesurfing World Cup Haikou 2024. Photo Courtesy of the Organisers

Integrating tourism with other products 

Hainan has further improved the integration of tourism with medical care, agriculture,commerce, education, industry, and transportation. Hope City in Boao has made significant progress with medical tourism. The major transportation and tourism integration projects—the Hainan Coastal Scenic Highway Tour and the Tropical Rainforest National Park Highway Tour—have both been put into operation.