Why Did Sanya Become the Global Media’s “Headline” During the First Spring Festival After the Border Closure?
Galloping horses herald spring’s arrival,
Breezes from coconut palms bring blessings near.
This marks the first Spring Festival since Hainan Free Trade Port began its closed-border operations.
As New Year greetings in Russian, English, and Chinese resonate across Sanya Bay’s Spring Festival Gala beach—Sanya is no longer merely a backyard retreat for Chinese citizens, but a window through which the world observes China’s opening.
From CCTV’s six-hour live broadcast to in-depth coverage by New Zealand journalists; from think tank rankings to a full-page feature in Global Times; from multilingual coverage by People’s Pictorial and Beijing News to proactive dissemination by China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration—Sanya’s debut after lifting its lockdown is making headlines across the world’s mainstream media.
01.
International Media: Can Hainan Become the “Hawaii of the East”?
Our Answer: Not Just a Replacement—An Upgrade
Looking out the car window, Hainan resembles Southeast Asia. But I’m here for tourism, not geography studies,” wrote Gary Bowman, a reporter for New Zealand’s Asia Media Center, on February 10.
In his article, he detailed Sanya’s 20-year transformation: from sandy beaches to branded resorts, from yacht marinas to duty-free shopping centers. He specifically noted that by 2025, Hainan had welcomed over 1.5 million international visitors, with Russian tourists surging nearly 200% year-on-year. Flights from Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Minsk, and Ulaanbaatar now land frequently.
This is no coincidence. Post-border closure, Sanya continues to reap the benefits of its visa-free policy for 86 countries, while the opening of international air routes has made “coffee in Moscow, sun in Sanya” a daily reality. We needn’t aspire to be the “Hawaii of the East”—we are Sanya, a unique tropical destination riding the wave of the free trade port.
02.
National media asks: How to play after border closure?
We’re taking action: soaring through the skies, diving into the seas, savoring global cuisine
While international media focus on Sanya’s “global flair,” CCTV’s lens captures the generational shift in travel experiences post-border closure.
On February 11, CCTV-4’s “Home in the Distance” launched its Spring Festival special “Heat Seekers: Sanya Shines,” a 6-hour global live broadcast guiding viewers through new ways to explore Sanya after the border closure.
In the program, you won’t see traditional tour guide flags, but instead short-video creators wave-surfing, foreign bloggers night-running at Luhuitou, and international chefs preparing fusion New Year’s Eve dinners with duty-free imported ingredients.
The supply-side transformation unfolding in Sanya: Multilingual signage now covers scenic areas, cross-border payments reach night markets, and experiences evolve from “viewing the sea” to “playing in the sea,” and from ‘sightseeing’ to “residential travel.” We enable global visitors to find their own comfort zone in Sanya.
03.
Global Times Full-Page Feature: Sanya’s Rising Appeal in Inbound Tourism
We Bear Witness: Warmth at the Ports and New Strength at the Nation’s Gateways
On February 12, the Global Times dedicated an entire page to Sanya’s inbound tourism during the Spring Festival: Over the past two weeks, the city welcomed more than 51,000 international visitors, marking a 53% year-on-year increase, as the visa-free policy continues to yield benefits.
The report recounts the heartwarming story of Belarusian tourist Olga arriving in Sanya with her daughter at dawn—“We flew for two days and finally got to see this beautiful city”; it also documents the growth of 23-year-old border inspection officer Wu Yuqi as he steps onto the inspection platform for the first time. The Global Times commented: The smooth operation at Sanya Port is a mutual journey between the city and its guardians.
04.
Overseas Social Media: How Did Sanya Make It into the Top 10 in Reach?
Our Approach: Telling Sanya’s Stories in a Language the World Understands
On February 12, the Reference Think Tank released the “China City Overseas Social Media Influence Index,” with Sanya ranking among the top ten in comprehensive influence. The city’s tourism bureau account “visit sanya” cultivated in-depth content: its “Sanya Bay Scenery” series garnered over 410,000 views; the #PassTheBallToSanya Asian Beach Games promotional campaign achieved more than 170,000 impressions and was reposted by the International Olympic Committee.
This “ball” that originated on Sanya’s beaches is now being passed around the world. On February 3, the multilingual accounts of China Press, People’s Pictorial, and Beijing News—all under the China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration—shared the event. Think tank commentary: Through meticulous operations, Sanya has enhanced its appeal to international tourists.
05.
Cultural Inquiry: What Drives International Tourism Consumption Hubs?
We are settling in: Culture is the ultimate destination.
At the Shengchang Centennial Fair, Gen Zers explain Li brocade patterns to international audiences in English; at Haiyue Plaza, an 18-year-old college student weaves Li folk songs into street dance routines; during the People’s Spring Festival Gala, Changde silk strings resonate with Miao dragon dances across the screen, while bilingual hosts in English and Russian unite New Year greetings from every corner of the nation.
This reflects a deeper confidence post-lockdown: no longer anxious about “resembling Southeast Asia.” When Li brocade weaves into modern fashion, when Sanya Bay’s waves become symphonic backdrops—this city’s uniqueness remains irreplicable.
【Warmth】
Sanya’s “111th Kind of Warmth” During Spring Festival
We are safeguarding: Every moment of your journey in Sanya matters to us
While media spotlighted grand narratives, warmth also dwelled in service details—
【Domestic Edition】Sanya’s Festive Spirit: Warmth in the Small Gestures
This Spring Festival, we embedded “warmth” into your first kilometer before arriving in Sanya. 110 government parking lots citywide offered free access, with netizens praising: “One parking spot warms more than ten thousand welcome greetings.” Sanya collaborated with Beijing Daxing Airport to launch the “111th Free Parking Lot,” offering 120 hours of complimentary parking with round-trip tickets—warmth begins at your departure point. Phoenix Airport’s T3 terminal commenced trial operations, with 75 optimized bus routes and 5 Spring Festival special lines launched. The “Easy Sanya Travel” luggage storage service now covers airports, stations, and over 170 hotels—arrival marks the start of unburdening.
Over 30 cultural events and 1,600 discounted products await: Anaya Spring Festival Concert and Haitang Bay Lantern Festival take center stage. Marine activities adhere to “Four Safety Guidelines,” while seafood restaurants enforce daily price controls and transparent pricing. Should disputes arise, 12345 + “Sanya Carefree Travel” advance compensation provides your most reliable assurance.
【International Edition】Sanya, Where the World Feels Right at Home
On the morning of Chinese New Year’s Day, we will extend New Year greetings to the first international arrival flight at Phoenix International Airport’s terminal. Starting February 14, “Warm Welcome Service Stations” will be available at airports and high-speed rail stations, where “Coconut Ambassadors” will offer fresh green coconuts and roses. Citizens from 86 countries enjoy visa-free entry, with seamless online declaration for smooth customs clearance.
All-scenario foreign card payments cover high-end hotels, while bilingual service positions and smart translation software break down communication barriers. Russian signage in street shops and multilingual descriptions on menus give international visitors a familiar sense of “home” throughout Sanya.
The first Spring Festival since Sanya’s port closure saw global media arrive and depart.
They took away hundreds of gigabytes of video footage, thousands of negatives, and tens of thousands of words of interview notes.
But what they could not carry away was the warm sun rising each morning over Sanya Bay, the centuries-old warmth of life echoing in the fishing songs of the Tanka people, and the bond between you—reading this very article now—and these mountains and seas.
Translate Sanya’s seas into a language the world can understand.
Send Sanya’s New Year celebrations to every distant place yet to be reached.
Galloping steeds herald spring’s arrival,
Coconut breezes bear blessings afar.
May you spend this Year of the Horse in serene joy and perfect harmony,
Amidst Sanya’s beauty and romantic shores.
Journey to Sanya this very moment,
To embrace a warm Chinese New Year.
Here lies the Free Trade Port,
Here stands Sanya—China’s gateway to global dialogue.