The tourism market in the resort town of Sanya in China's Hainan province 
experienced a boom during this year's National Day Holiday from Oct 1 to 7 
(also known as 'Golden Week'). By analyzing available tourism statistics and 
other data sources, the Sanya Tourism Promotion Board (STPB) releases an 
analysis of the local tourism market features during the period. 

 - A stop at local duty-free stores has become a must-do activity for the 
traveler to Sanya

From October 1 to 7, 33.36 percent of the passengers departing from Sanya 
Phoenix International Airport purchased goods at the onsite duty-free stores, 
up nearly 10 percentage points from the same period of the prior year.  

Young and middle-aged consumers made up the bulk of the shoppers. Nevertheless, 
with a richer array of goods offered at duty-free stores across the city and a 
more convenient shopping experience, the local market for duty-free shopping is 
expanding its consumer group to encompass consumers of all ages while duty-free 
shopping has gradually become one of the must-do activities for all visitors.

 - Visiting attractions nearby or taking road trips have become preferred modes 
of traveling

Safe and convenient close-to-home trips were favored by tourists from within 
Hainan province due to concerns over the pandemic. Notably, Hainan's circular 
high-speed railway has made it easier for tourists from other parts of the 
province to visit the city conveniently during the holiday. The number of 
passengers who traveled to Sanya by high-speed rail during the period surged 
substantially on a year-on-year basis. 

Road trips have also become the preferred mode of transportation for Chinese 
travelers due to the convenience and flexibility. From September 30 to October 
6, the percentage of travelers who drove to the city by car increased by 2 
percentage points from the same period of 2020.

The warm weather and the numerous roads that crisscross the coastal areas have 
contributed to the increasing popularity of road trips to Sanya. According to 
the tourism report for the 2021 Chinese National Day Holiday released by 
Trip.com on October 7, Sanya ranks first among the most popular Chinese 
destinations for visitors who travel by car. 

 - Traditional tourism destinations in and around Sanya have heightened their 
   appeal to travelers by continuously exploring new themes and creating new 
   experiences.

During the Golden Week, Sanya's natural attractions drew the most visitors, 
with the number rising 37 percent year on year. The West Island and 
Fenghuangling (the Phoenix Mountain) saw tourist arrivals increase 40 percent 
and 318 percent, respectively.

Over the past few years, the West Island has increased its appeal to travelers 
by creating many new attractions. The local tourism authorities put new life 
into traditional attractions by revitalizing coral reefs, fishing villages and 
the island's culture. Fenghuangling boasted explosive growth in tourist 
arrivals during the holiday driven by its addition of night tours. 

 - The time that visitors need to make travel decisions was further shortened.

Impacted by the pandemic, the amount of time in advance that travelers needed 
to make their bookings has been reduced significantly. Data from STPB shows 
that, from September 30 to October 6, 31 percent of travelers booked tickets 
1-3 days in advance, up 6 percentage points year-on-year; 30 percent ordered 
tickets 4-7 days in advance, a rise of 12 percentage points while the 
percentage of travelers who reserved tickets more than 7 days in advance 
decreased 17 percentage points to 35 percent. This reflects the fact that many 
of the visitors made their decision at the last minute to visit the city during 
the holiday.

SOURCE: Sanya Tourism Promotion Board



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