Hainan's trade in services grew 11.7% year on year to 56.95 billion yuan (about $8.54 billion) in the first nine months of 2026, according to business monitoring data released by the Department of Commerce of Hainan Province. Service exports rose 14.9% to 40.41 billion yuan ($6.06 billion), while imports increased 4.7% to 16.54 billion yuan ($2.48 billion). International transport and inbound travel were the main drivers of export growth, while aircraft maintenance, information technology services, and video game exports also continued to expand.

Transport is a major component of Hainan's service exports. Exports of transport services reached 20.5 billion yuan ($3.07 billion) in the first three quarters, up 11.3% from a year earlier. An official from the Department of Commerce of Hainan Province attributed the increase partly to a steady recovery in international freight operations at major transport companies, including Hainan Airlines and COSCO SHIPPING.

Inbound tourism also contributed to the growth. Hainan's travel service exports rose 31.9% year on year to 8.09 billion yuan ($1.21 billion) during the period. Spending by overseas visitors on accommodation, dining, shopping, and other activities in Hainan are counted as travel service exports for service trade statistics purposes. Thanks to visa-free entry and other travel facilitation measures, the province has seen a marked increase in visitors from markets including Russia, Kazakhstan, and South Korea, boosting demand for travel and related services.

The increase extends beyond traditional sectors such as transport and travel. In the first nine months of 2026, Hainan's trade in traditional services reached 36.78 billion yuan ($5.52 billion), up 8.4% and accounting for 64.6% of total service trade. Trade in emerging services grew faster, rising 18.5% to 20.17 billion yuan ($3.02 billion), or 35.4% of the total.

Trade in cross-border maintenance and repair services more than doubled, rising 110% year on year to 3.31 billion yuan ($496 million), with aircraft maintenance and related activities accounting for a significant share. Trade in telecommunications, computer, and information services increased 29.5% to 2.24 billion yuan ($336 million). Video game exports also expanded as Hainan-based companies supplied games and related services to overseas markets.

Trade in business services increased 13.4%, while financial services and processing services grew by 4.1% and 3.2%, respectively. Trade in cross-border digitally delivered services reached 16.86 billion yuan ($2.53 billion) in the first three quarters, up 9.1% and representing 29.6% of Hainan's total service trade.

As Hainan's service trade expands into more sectors, the province’s international business connections are also broadening. Hainan traded services with 147 partners in the first nine months. The five largest markets by trade value were Hong Kong, China; the United States; Russia; Ireland; and Singapore. Together, they accounted for 57.4% of Hainan's total service trade.

The Department of Commerce of Hainan Province plans to continue to develop international transport and inbound travel services, expand cross-border maintenance and repair, computer and information services, and explore additional international markets through Hainan’s Free Trade Port policies.

From international transport and inbound tourism to cross-border maintenance and digital services, Hainan's service trade increase is being driven by an increasingly wide range of cross-border activities. That diversification also provides a basis for the Hainan Free Trade Port to expand cooperation with international partners across more service industries.