Up 242% year-over-year! Sanya ranks second among China’s coastal cities in terms of social media buzz abroad

Since November 2025, @Visit Sanya has seen steady growth across its six major overseas social media platforms. During the opening week of the 2026 Sanya Asian Beach Games (April 19–26), the #Sanya hashtag saw a 242% year-over-year increase on overseas social media. This year’s discussion volume regarding Sanya is more than three times that of the same period last year, marking an unprecedented surge.

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Sanya Ranks Second Among China’s Coastal Cities in Popularity

A report from Talkwalker, a global social intelligence data platform, reveals:

The 2026 Sanya Asian Beach Games have set Sanya ablaze! The number of posts using #Sanya on social media has increased by 242% year-over-year.

On Instagram, the total number of posts under the #Sanya hashtag has reached first place in Hainan Province and ranks second among all coastal cities in mainland China (excluding municipalities), trailing only Shenzhen.

From daily “slow coastal living” vlogs to a content matrix featuring surfing, sunsets, coconut groves, and night markets, the city is cultivating an atmosphere that makes people want to live in Sanya.

On TikTok, #slowtravel and #coastalliving are emerging as the fastest-growing travel content trends for 2026. Sanya is practically the “natural model city” for this trend.

The world is rediscovering Sanya thanks to a single event. In April’s overseas influence rankings, Sanya ranked 5th nationwide. Sanya’s international network is growing day by day.

👍 The World Gives the Sanya Asian Beach Games a “Thumbs Up”

🔥 Throughout the Asian Beach Games, we tracked and updated media coverage from 45 countries in real time, expanding Sanya’s international network