The 2026 5th Hainan International Designer Competition was officially launched on May 29, with global submissions opening a few days later on June 1.

Designers and teams from around the world can visit the competition's official website:

www.hainan-design.com,

for detailed information and to register.

The 2026 5th Hainan International Designer Competition was officially launched on May 29.

Two Competition Tracks Focus on Hainan's Cultural and Tourism Industries

This year's competition features two tracks tailored to Hainan's development needs.

The Tourism Products and IP Derivatives Design Track focuses on Hainan's scenic attractions, cultural heritage resources, intangible cultural heritage, and marine elements. It welcomes submissions in categories including cultural creative souvenirs, fashion products, co-branded IP merchandise, tourism equipment, heritage-inspired products, wellness and residential tourism products, and packaging design.

The Digital Cultural Tourism Experience Design Track targets diverse application scenarios, including scenic areas, hotels, sports and cultural venues, and tourism events. Entries will cover digital visual creativity, AI-powered tourism applications, immersive interactive spaces, digital twin scenarios, and digital transformation solutions for tourism services.

According to the competition schedule, submissions will be accepted from June 1 to August 14. The competition is open to independent designers and professional design teams worldwide. Preliminary judging will take place in late August, followed by the final evaluation and award ceremony in mid-October.

The competition will present two gold, eight silver, and 20 bronze awards, as well as 20 excellence and 50 creative design awards, with a total prize pool of 400,000 yuan (about USD 55,000).

Over the past four editions, the Hainan International Designer Competition has grown into a nationally lauded platform with international reach. It has attracted participants from more than 30 countries and regions, engaged over 2,500 designers, and collected more than 4,230 design works, serving as a bridge connecting global creativity with industrial development and real-economy innovation.

Full-Chain Service Platform to Connect Design with Industry

The year 2026 marks the first year following the launch of island-wide special customs operations of the Hainan Free Trade Port and a key stage in the province's efforts to build itself into an international tourism consumption center.

In 2025, Hainan received 106 million tourist visits, up 9.1 percent year-on-year, while total tourism revenue reached 225.43 billion yuan (USD 31.3 billion), up 10.5 percent. The province's cultural tourism market continued to expand, demonstrating strong growth momentum.

Despite the rapid growth of Hainan's tourism sector, challenges remain, including relatively low per-capita visitor spending, insufficient opportunities for secondary consumption, limited local capabilities in the design and manufacturing of original tourism products, and a disconnect between creative talent and market demand.

To address these shortcomings, the competition has established a platform that connects design operations teams and tourism enterprises in Hainan. The initiative aims to create a full-cycle service mechanism covering project brief publication, design solicitation, evaluation, industry matchmaking, and commercialization, helping high-quality design resources find practical applications in local tourism settings.

Centered on “driving innovation, commercialization, and industrial development through competition,” the event focuses not only on selecting outstanding works but also on facilitating the transformation of creative ideas into market-ready products and services.

Empowering Enterprises Through Design

To ensure both creativity and market viability, this year's competition has assembled a jury panel consisting of leading design professionals and tourism industry experts. The panel will evaluate entries based on both innovation and commercialization potential.

During the competition, participating teams will be invited to conduct field visits across Hainan to gain firsthand knowledge of local tourism resources, major scenic areas, and tourism enterprises. These activities are designed to foster direct collaboration between designers and industry stakeholders.

The competition will also offer comprehensive support to participating tourism enterprises, enhancing their brand visibility and market influence through extensive media promotion. At the same time, industry experts will provide design consulting and upgrading recommendations, while resource-sharing initiatives will facilitate IP collaborations, co-development projects, and market expansion opportunities.

The help provided by industry experts will also extend to scenic spots and tourism businesses. Through field research, competition cooperation, and resource integration, organizers will facilitate practical collaborations in areas such as IP co-branding, product development, and market promotion.