SCIO press conference on development of Hainan Free Trade Port

Cover News:

In recent years, Hainan has vigorously promoted the development of an international tourism consumption center. What progress has been made so far, and what are the plans for future measures? Thank you.

Liu Xiaoming:

Thank you for your questions. With its slogan "All the Sun, All the Fun," Hainan has long been a dream destination for both domestic and international tourists. In recent years, Hainan has been making great efforts in building itself into an international tourism consumption center, and remarkable outcomes have been made. For example, we have constructed two scenic loop highways. The "outer loop" refers to the scenic ring road around the island, stretching 988 kilometers along the coast, offering ocean views for over 50% of the route. The "inner loop" refers to the scenic ring road surrounding the National Park of Hainan Tropical Rainforest, spanning 466 kilometers through mountainous terrain, weaving together a new landscape of cultural and tourism attractions. As a result, the two scenic loop highways offer travelers a journey where cars move through the scenery, people stroll as if in a painting. Natural beauty of mountains and sea unfolds at every mile. Moreover, we have successfully held the China International Consumer Products Expo for five consecutive years. This expo has become the largest global consumer goods exhibition and trading platform in Asia. This not only provides strong support for sustained consumption growth, but also meeting people's aspirations for a better life. It is an important platform for global enterprises to access the Chinese market and for Chinese enterprises to globalize. We have also stepped up our efforts to foster and promote tourism as a new business format. We've also made great efforts to expand special tourism offerings, including cruises, yachting, aerospace-themed tourism, diving and surfing. "Coming to Hainan for concerts, music festivals, and brand exhibitions" has become the latest trend.

In 2024, Hainan received 97.2 million domestic and international tourist visits, representing an 8% increase over the previous year. Notably, international visitor arrivals more than doubled during this period.

Hainan launched the island-wide special customs operations and expanded its opening-up this year. We will seize the opportunities, and enhance our efforts to build Hainan into an international tourism consumption center. On one front, we will accelerate the development of uniquely appealing cultural tourism consumption experiences. We will build a series of international cultural tourism IPs and programs, while simultaneously promoting the renewal and upgrading of existing scenic spots. This offers visitors more diverse and enriching travel experiences. On another front, we will enhance the tourism consumption environment to ensure safety, reliability, enjoyment and comfort. As such, we launched the "Consumer Confidence in Hainan" service system, providing tourists with end-to-end services covering merchant information, purchases, complaints and rights protection and advance compensation. This -- achieves comprehensive consumer protection across all industries and sectors. Through honest and standardized operations and warm hospitality, we will be committed to making all visitors -- domestic and international -- feel thoroughly welcome and reluctant to leave.

Let me conclude by extending Hainan's warm invitation to all friends: "Come to the ends of the earth, where spring lasts all year round. Hainan welcomes you!" Thank you!