A media delegation from Hong Kong arrived in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, on June 8, kicking off a six-day immersive 2026 Hong Kong Media Talents Exchange & Interview Event tour.

The group, comprised of 15 mainstream media professionals and top-tier Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) from Hong Kong, is now on a comprehensive journey through five Hainan cities and counties to experience the province's unique culture and rapid economic development.

Hong Kong media and influencers visit the Historic Qilou Quarter in Haikou.

According to the itinerary, the tour itinerary includes Haikou, Qionghai, Wanning, Lingshui, and Sanya, diving deep into Southeast Asian cultural heritage, aerospace science and innovation, wellness and cultural tourism, coastal landscapes, and authentic local cuisine.

The crowning highlight of the tour will be watching a live rocket launch on-site in Wenchang. In addition to sightseeing, the event features a series of exchange activities including a Hainan-Hong Kong Cultural and Tourism Salon and a seaside farewell party. These activities are designed to deepen the close kinship between Hainan and Hong Kong and develop a robust bridge for regular exchange and cooperation in the tourism, media, and youth-focused industries.

The delegation boasts a powerful lineup with broad media outreach, bringing together senior journalists, directors, and editorial board members from mainstream media outlets such as DotDotNews, Orange News, China Daily Hong Kong Edition, South China Morning Post, and HK01.

The delegation also features multiple lifestyle and current affairs influencers boasting millions of followers across major domestic and international social media networks including X, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Tik Tok, rednote, and WeChat Channels. Combining official authoritative reporting with youth-centric content creation, this delegation aims to create a milti-dimensional, multi-layered, and international communication matrix for Hainan's tourism brand.

On June 9, Haikou hosted an official tour launching ceremony alongside the Hainan-Hong Kong Cultural and Tourism Salon.

During the ceremony, ten top Hong Kong KOLs were appointed as Hainan International Tourism Promotion Ambassadors.

Participants will brainstorm Hainan-Hong Kong cultural tourism synergy ideas and how to best promote the Hainan Island brand on the international market, injecting fresh momentum into Hainan's global outreach.

On the first day of the tour, the delegation visited Haikou's Qilou Historic Quarter and the Fullsing Internet Innovation Park, then took a cruise around Haikou Bay. The experience offered a dual perspective on the cultural depth of Hainan and the accelerating speed of the Hainan Free Trade Port's development.

Christine Cheung, a Hong Kong-based blogger making her first trip to Hainan, noted that she previously only knew Hainan for its sunshine and beaches, but since arriving, she has discovered how incredibly unique the island’s cultural and creative sectors are.

She said that by blending history and culture seamlessly, every place tells a story, which was exactly what she was looking forward to. Cheung added that the Hainan Free Trade Port holds immense economic potential that can beautifully complement Hong Kong’s trade advantages to achieve win-win results.