An island looks overseas

The province's government aims to attract 1.5 million inbound travel visits this year.

The introduction of 30-day visa-free stays in Hainan for certain nationalities on May 1, has produced a surge in travel agencies' orders.

"We handled bookings for about 10,000 Southeast Asian travelers in 2017, but the number exceeded 30,000 last year," Hainan Classic Vacation Travel Service's general manager Yan Yunfei says.

Hainan's tourism promotions overseas and increased international flights have also contributed to the growth, Yan says.

A total of 74 inbound flights to Hainan operated in 2018, and provincial tourism authorities plan to increase the number to 85 this year.

The province also organized more than 40 promotions in other countries and regions, including Southeast Asia, Europe, the United States, Australia and Russian-speaking areas, last year.

"Our (tourism) promotion has been following where the flights lead us," Hainan Kangtai Travel inbound center's marketing director Zhang Bin tells China Tourism News.

Zhang has spent a considerable amount of time flying to the United Kingdom, Australia, Indonesia and Vietnam over the past 12 months.

The inbound tourism business of Zhang's agency grew 200 percent in 2018 compared with the previous year. It now offers chartered flights for travelers from Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Kuching and Melbourne.

Zhang expects more travelers from abroad as new flights from Japan, France, Germany and the US begin operating. The agency has already prepared products and services for these potential customers.