Hainan's airports and ports experienced heavy crowds during the Qingming holiday. According to the "2026 Qingming Holiday Travel Flash Report" released by Fliggy on April 6, Hainan was ranked among the top domestic travel destinations, with travel service bookings exceeding last year's figures for the same period. Bookings for leisure activities alone increased by more than 90% year-on-year. Among Hainan's cities, Sanya, Haikou, and Lingshui led in overall bookings, while Ding'an, Wenchang, and Wanning showed the fastest growth rates.

The Qingming holiday this year coincided with spring break at many elementary and middle schools nationwide, making families with parents born in the late 1980s and 1990s the main travel demographic. Demand for high-quality tourism services increased noticeably, and per-person spending on travel services rose significantly compared to last year.

On the attractions front, several scenic spots, including Sanya Paddy Field National Park, Red Detachment of Women Performing Arts Park, and Tianxing Forest Park, raised the free-entry height threshold for children from 1.2 meters to 1.4 meters and extended the free-entry age limit to 7 or 8 years old. Mr. Chen, a visitor from Hunan Province, took his six-year-old daughter through the complimentary entry lane at Sanya Paddy Field National Park. His daughter is 1.35 meters tall and would have needed a paid ticket under previous rules. "The new policy makes family outings much more affordable," he said.

Family travel also boosted demand for educational tourism products. At Shimei Bay International Resort in Wanning, the "Hainan Language - International Summer Camp" concluded on April 6. This experience fostered real cross-cultural exchange by giving teachers and students from School No. 548 in Russia the opportunity to stay with local families, teach each other phrases from their own languages by the sea, and explore the Qingpi coastal forest and tidal zones together.

Russian teachers and students take part in an educational tour in Wanning

Photo: Wanning Municipal Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports Bureau

Haikou hosted the "Wave in Haikou, Glory Together" e-sports carnival during the holiday, with a themed Honor of Kings parade that drew crowds lining the streets. Meanwhile, Hainan Changying Wonderland, which began welcoming pets starting March 31, held its first "Cutest Pet Showdown" sports event on April 4. Activities included bead art competitions, kite painting, free lawn camping, and nighttime shows featuring drone displays and molten-iron flower spinning.

An Honor of Kings-themed parade takes place at Friendship Sunshine City in Haikou on April 5

Photo: Haikou Municipal Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports Bureau

Hainan Changying Wonderland hosts its inaugural "Cutest Pet Showdown" sports meeting

Photo: Hainan Changying Wonderland

The Snake Causeway in Longtang Town, Qiongshan District, Haikou, has also become a favorite spot for family photos. Its name comes from its winding shape, which appears and disappears as the water levels rise and fall. Visitors often stop on the stone causeway to snap pictures, while some cross using small boats to reach the opposite bank. Below, lush green rice paddies stretch into the distance, creating a scenic spring landscape.

Visitors explore the Snake Causeway in Longtang Town, Qiongshan District, Haikou, during the Qingming Festival holiday

Photo: Haikou Municipal Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports Bureau

Hainan's success during the Qingming Festival period stemmed from its broad range of tourism offerings and ever-improving services, attracting large crowds of families and younger travelers and further boosting the vitality of cultural tourism consumption in the province.