Hainan Province Aims to Become International Tourism and Consumption Hub by 2035

The authorities of Hainan Province will step up efforts over the next five years to develop the island into a leading international tourism and consumption hub, China News Service online news portal reported.

It was noted that the offshore customs supervision regime, which took effect in December 2025, is expected to provide a major boost to Hainan’s retail sector. According to Li Yong, an official with the provincial Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television, and Sports cited by the portal, local authorities plan to establish a world-class tourism and consumption cluster on the island by 2035.

Hainan’s economic and institutional openness is expected to increase steadily in the coming years. In line with the objectives for the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), recently outlined by China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the provincial capital Haikou and the resort city of Sanya on the island’s southern coast will play key roles in developing the international consumption sector of China’s southernmost province. The main focus will be on projects related to maritime, island, and cruise tourism.

According to the five-year plan for the development of the consumption hub, released by the Hainan provincial administration in June, this sector of the economy will become an important link in ensuring the effective integration of domestic and international economic cycles in the region. This is expected to enhance the province’s competitiveness and provide additional incentives for the long-term development of the free trade port.

In line with these objectives, the authorities and businesses will work to expand the range of high-quality tourism products in five key areas: shopping, medical and wellness tourism, maritime, cultural, and sports tourism. Eight additional areas have been identified for intensified efforts, including hosting exhibitions, making use of the island’s ring-shaped tourist highway, theme parks and attractions, and developing routes through tropical rainforests. Plans also call for expanding the cruise and yacht tourism segments and promoting projects involving visits to and sightseeing in cities and rural areas.

Under the official plan, the island is expected to welcome 154 mln Chinese and international tourists in 2026-2030, who will spend 363 bln yuan (approximately $54 bln at the current exchange rate of the People’s Bank of China) in the province. To maintain and increase tourist arrivals, the authorities plan to establish more than 120 international passenger air routes, providing air connections with over 60 foreign cities. As a result, Hainan is expected to rank among the world’s top three most competitive island tourism destinations that are not archipelagos.