China News Service, Sanya, November 2 (Reporter Fu Yuqun) The Sanya Phoenix International Airport Port is an important gateway for the Hainan Free Trade Port to open to the outside world. Since the closure of the customs, cross-border exchanges have continued to heat up. Since the Hainan Free Trade Port was closed, the number of people entering and leaving the Phoenix Airport port has reached 1.07 million, a year-on-year increase of 29%, setting a new high in passenger flow for the same period since the port was opened; there have been more than 6,000 inbound and outbound flights, a year-on-year increase of 20%.
Wang Tao, deputy director of the Phoenix Entry-Exit Border Inspection Station, explained in detail the new changes in port passenger flow and customs clearance service guarantee measures at the launch ceremony of the Sanya International Communication Co-creation Season and the "Go China In Sanya" international communication event on the 2nd.
The Phoenix International Airport Port is an important gateway for foreigners to come to Qiong for sightseeing, business investment, exchanges and cooperation. In recent years, as the Hainan Free Trade Port's opening level continues to improve, the port's international routes have steadily recovered, cross-border exchanges have become increasingly frequent, and the foreign-related customs clearance environment continues to improve.
Wang Tao introduced that behind the eye-catching passenger flow data, there are two outstanding features: a high proportion of foreign tourists entering without visas. Since the closure of the customs, there have been more than 420,000 foreign tourists entering without visas, a year-on-year increase of 40%. The visa-free policy has become a highlight in attracting overseas tourists to visit Sanya; the internationalization of tourist sources has become increasingly diversified. Sanya has opened 38 international passenger routes including seventh freedom rights and fifth freedom rights. The route network covers the core passenger source areas in Southeast Asia, Central Asia and Russian-speaking areas. The inbound foreigners mainly come from Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus and other countries, and the main reasons for coming to China are tourism and business.
Passengers arriving in Sanya, Hainan on flight DV482 on December 22, 2025. On the same day, the pick-up ceremony for China's first seventh-freedom passenger route "Sanya⇌Prague" was held at Sanya Phoenix International Airport. This route is operated by Kazakhstan’s SKAT Airlines. Flight DV482 carried 115 passengers from Prague, Czech Republic and 9 crew members to Sanya. (File photo) Photo by China News Service reporter Luo Yunfei
Faced with the new situation and new characteristics of rising passenger flow and diversified passenger demands, the border inspection department has taken multiple measures to take into account customs clearance efficiency and service quality. In terms of hardware support, police forces are scientifically deployed to ensure that the 38 inspection channels in the inspection hall are fully opened. Multilingual guidance signs and large publicity screens are added on site; the waiting area is expanded to the T3 terminal in cooperation with the airport, three new international boarding gates are added, and waiting and boarding routes are optimized.
In terms of service support, the border inspection department studies flight dynamics and changes in passenger flow in advance, announces passenger flow forecasts and peak periods in a timely manner, and prompts off-peak travel; it promotes digital convenience measures and implements online services such as filling in foreigner entry cards online and applying for group travel visas online. The customs clearance time for a single person is shortened by 30 seconds, and the customs clearance time for a single flight is shortened by about 30 minutes.
At the same time, the port has launched heart-warming and convenient services for different groups of passengers: accurately adapting the optimal customs clearance policy for visa-free passengers; facilitating the issuance of port documents for group passengers, and setting up a special inspection and release area for inspection; opening a "green channel" and dedicated guidance for passengers in need of assistance; providing temporary entry permits and "one-stop" processing services for entry procedures for passengers who apply for temporary entry; implementing one-time registration for long-term reuse for scheduled flight crew groups, and fast lanes that can quickly clear customs in 15 seconds. (over)
