At 2:50 a.m. on February 1, Aeroflot Flight SU854 from Yekaterinburg, Russia, arrived smoothly at Sanya Phoenix International Airport. Nearly 300 passengers on board completed entry procedures efficiently, and, with that, another influx of international arrivals entered Hainan.

Passengers clearing immigration

Photo: Sanya Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection Station

"Immigration was very smooth! This is our family's first trip to Sanya, and we're really looking forward to relaxing on the beach, taking in the beautiful scenery, tasting the delicious local dishes, and bringing home some special treats to share with everyone," said Andrei, a Russian traveler, sharing his excitement about the trip.

Since the initiation of island-wide special customs operations of the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP), there has been a continuous increase in inbound and outbound travel. Data indicate that in January, border inspection authorities throughout the province processed over 302,000 inbound and outbound passenger trips, along with 2,463 inbound and outbound transport movements (including aircraft and vessels). These figures represent year-on-year increases of 31.8% and 27.5%, respectively. Notably, foreign travelers accounted for 160,100 trips, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 61.8%. Visa-free foreign arrivals reached 72,400 trips, an increase of 77.6%, constituting 95.04% of all inbound foreign travelers.

Passengers clearing immigration

Photo: Sanya Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection Station

"Travelers from Russia, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Singapore, and other countries now make up the bulk of visitors arriving in Hainan," said Rao Jun, Deputy Director of the Border Inspection Division at the Haikou General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection. He noted that the border inspection authorities in Hainan have implemented a series of facilitation measures, including 24-hour direct transit without border inspection formalities, the online filling-in of arrival cards, and online applications for group tourist visas. Concurrently, duty deployment has been optimized; staffing adjustments have been made based on scientific principles; inspection procedures have been streamlined; sufficient inspection channels have been opened in advance; and on-site guidance has been enhanced to ensure the safety, orderliness, and efficiency of travel for inbound and outbound passengers.

Passengers clearing immigration

Photo: immigration inspection authorities

According to officials, after the implementation of island-wide special customs operations, Hainan continues to uphold the country's most comprehensive visa-free policy framework. This includes bilateral mutual visa exemptions, unilateral visa-free entries, Hainan’s 30-day visa-free entry for nationals of 59 countries, and 240-hour visa-free transit. The number of countries eligible for visa-free entry into Hainan has increased to 86, and the approved reasons for entry have expanded from tourism to include family visits, business, medical services, exhibitions and conventions, sports events, and other purposes.

At the same time, Hainan has significantly expanded and enhanced its air route network. The province now manages a total of 92 international passenger routes, with inbound and outbound flights increasing by 374 movements month over month, representing a 22.8% increase. The route network now connects key regions, including Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, Europe, and Oceania. Together, visa-free travel and expanded air rights are providing substantial support for cross-border economic and trade cooperation and people-to-people exchanges within the Hainan FTP.