"What’s it like to explore an island? We're in Haikou, Hainan, and now we're off to another fascinating city—Wenchang. Our adventure is just about to begin; let’s get going!"

That’s how Mexican content creators, Max and his wife, Noelia, begin a video documenting their trip around Hainan, posted on their eponymously named channel, Max y Noelia.

Now the couple has something of Hainan beyond their cameras: a business license. On October 9, they registered Haikou Xinsheng Cultural Communication Co., Ltd. at the Shiner Film Factory in Haikou National High-tech Industrial Development Zone. With more than 10 million followers across their Spanish-language social media channels, the couple is taking a new step—from documenting life in China to starting a business in Hainan.

"What’s it like to explore an island? We're in Haikou, Hainan, and now we're off to another fascinating city—Wenchang. Our adventure is just about to begin; let’s get going!"

That’s how Mexican content creators, Max and his wife, Noelia, begin a video documenting their trip around Hainan, posted on their eponymously named channel, Max y Noelia.

Now the couple has something of Hainan beyond their cameras: a business license. On October 9, they registered Haikou Xinsheng Cultural Communication Co., Ltd. at the Shiner Film Factory in Haikou National High-tech Industrial Development Zone. With more than 10 million followers across their Spanish-language social media channels, the couple is taking a new step—from documenting life in China to starting a business in Hainan.

Max and Noelia recently received their new company's business license (Photo: Chen Ruolong/Hainan Daily)

From sharing China to connecting markets

Max moved to China for work in 2019. The following year, he and Noelia began documenting their travels around the country, creating videos about language, tourism, and cross-cultural experiences. Today, their channel, Max y Noelia, is the largest Spanish-language content channel in China, with more than 10 million followers across platforms, a majority of which—7.8 million—are YouTube subscribers.

Their videos have taken viewers from the source of the Yellow River and Ta'er Monastery in Qinghai to the red walls of Beijing's Forbidden City and the campus of Tsinghua University. They have even tried learning traditional folk songs at a singing festival in Guangxi. Along the way, they highlight cultural similarities between China and Mexico while offering overseas audiences a glimpse of everyday life in China.

With such a large following already, why launch a company in China? Max gives a straightforward answer: "Because there's real demand from our overseas audience."

"…when you start creating content and building an audience, this audience will let you know what they're interested in," he said.

After years of sharing Chinese culture, the couple began receiving the same questions from followers again and again: How can I do business in China? How can I learn Chinese? How do I travel around China?

"We began searching for resources to help people make sense of these things and find answers," Max said.

Over time, their work grew beyond making videos. It became a way to connect people, share information, and create opportunities. Gradually, the idea of starting a company took shape.

The turning point was when content creation became a business opportunity.

More than 500 million people worldwide speak Spanish, largely in Latin America and Spain. With an established channel that reaches Spanish-speaking audiences worldwide and firsthand insight into the information gaps those audiences face when learning about China, Max sees an opportunity to connect the two markets. He hopes to help Chinese companies and brands reach these audiences while encouraging more international visitors to travel to China, study there, and explore business opportunities.

"I think Haikou is the best place to do that," he said.

Content creators Max and Noelia pose for a photo at the Shiner Film Factory in Haikou National High-tech Industrial Development Zone. (Photo: Chen Ruolong/Hainan Daily)

From exploring the island to settling in Haikou

"After that trip, we fell in love with the island!" Earlier this year, the couple cycled around Hainan, visiting Sanya, Haikou, Wenchang, Wanning, and other cities. They were not only looking for filming locations but also getting a feel for the island's lifestyle and pace of development.

In Haikou's Qilou Historical and Cultural Quarter, they took time to explore.

"The arcade buildings here bring to mind the old streets of Latin American cities. They feel very familiar to me," Max said.

While in Haikou, the couple sampled local dishes such as Baoluo rice noodles and Wenchang chicken. They even learned how to say "eat" in the local Hainanese dialect.

"The small street-side restaurants and friendly locals give the city an authentic feel of everyday life," Max said.

So why did they choose Haikou as the base for their company?

"The opportunities are endless. You get the convenience and energy of a city, while life moves at a comfortable pace. I think this can become an entrepreneurship hub where very good ideas and investment opportunities are gonna surge," Max explained.

However, the scenery wasn’t the only reason they chose to stay. The policies and services offered by the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) also played a crucial role.

"Hainan's natural beauty and tropical climate certainly encourage businesses to come and explore the island. But scenery alone isn't enough to keep a company here for the long term," said Lin Mengyi, deputy director of the Third Investment Promotion Division at the Haikou International Investment Promotion Bureau.

According to Lin, several FTP policies are especially suited to businesses serving international audiences: visa-free entry for nationals of 61 countries, including several Spanish-speaking countries; preferential individual income tax policies for foreign talent; and measures that facilitate cross-border data flows.

Other incentives include the FTP's preferential 15% corporate and individual income tax rates, one-stop processing of work and residence permits for foreign nationals, international medical services, and multilingual support for daily life. Together, these measures lower the costs of setting up and running a business in Haikou, as well as the costs of living there.

"The whole process was faster and easier than we expected," Max said, adding that the company received substantial support from local government departments and that he was pleased with the services provided.

Haikou's growing appeal to international talent has received national recognition. In the recently released 2025–2026 "Amazing China — the Most Attractive Chinese Cities in the Eyes of Foreign Talents" rankings, Haikou placed 17th among Chinese cities for its attractiveness to foreign talent.

Since the list's first publication in 2019, Haikou has been recognized four times, three of those consecutively. The couple's decision to establish their business in the city reflects its growing appeal to international professionals and entrepreneurs.

Building a business in Hainan, connecting with the world

With their company now established, what comes next?

According to Max, Haikou Xinsheng Cultural Communication Co., Ltd. will focus on introducing Chinese culture to Spanish-speaking audiences worldwide. Its business will include documentary-style content about Chinese cities, overseas social media operations, and communications between Chinese and international brands, exploring how cultural content can be combined with cross-border business.

The couple also brought several fellow international content creators to Haikou, all with sizable followings on global social media platforms.

"Haikou really surprised me. Not only does it have a pleasant climate, but it's also a highly developed city. For foreigners seeking a high quality of life in China, Haikou is definitely a great choice," said Brazilian content creator Cymye.

"We've also been discussing ways to work together to connect Chinese businesses with overseas buyers," Max added.

"Many international audiences aren't familiar with the Chinese market and its business environment. Content creators can help bridge that information gap."

Through their videos, overseas viewers can discover Hainan's lifestyle, business environment, and market opportunities. As Max explained, the goal is to help Chinese businesses expand internationally while bringing more overseas visitors and potential partners to China.

The couple has already started filming a new series about life in Haikou. As they look for an apartment and visit nearby sites of interest, they explore the city alongside several fellow international entrepreneurs.

Ultimately, what does it mean for a channel reaching Spanish-speaking audiences worldwide to establish a presence in Haikou?

"This project will share stories about China with Spanish-speaking audiences worldwide," Lin said. "Being based in Haikou, it has the potential to show tens of millions of viewers overseas what Haikou and Hainan are really like."

She added that the project could also encourage more international content creators and cross-border cultural businesses to consider Haikou, supporting the development of new forms of international communication in the Hainan FTP.

For Max and Noelia, the journey has taken them from filming their experiences in China to building a business in Hainan.

"We hope to spend more time in Haikou and get to know Hainan even better," Max said.