Hainan, China's island province known for its year-round sunshine and pristine beaches, is now injecting fresh vitality into its tourism scene through high-quality performances.

Hainan Governor Liu Xiaoming highlighted the growing trend of "visiting Hainan for concerts, music festivals, and brand exhibitions" in his government work report at the annual session of the Hainan Provincial People's Congress this week.

In 2024, the southern China province hosted 31 large-scale performances, according to the government work report.

Analysts believe this marks a successful blend of entertainment and tourism, showcasing the renewed energy driving Hainan's rise as a leading international tourism and consumption hub.

In 2024, Hainan recorded over 97.2 million tourist visits, both domestic and international, marking an 8 percent year-on-year increase. Of these, overseas trips surpassed 1.1 million, up 115.6 percent from the previous year. Total tourism expenditure grew by 12.5 percent, reaching 204 billion yuan (about 28.38 billion U.S. dollars), according to the latest data.

The provincial capital Haikou hosted several high-profile international performances last year, including two live music shows by American rapper Kanye West and a concert by American pop singer Charlie Puth.

These performances directly boosted tourism consumption, with Kanye West's shows attracting over 80,000 attendees and generating 730 million yuan.

Wang Min, chairman of Haikou Tourism & Culture Group, said that efforts will continue to strengthen cooperation with leading international artists, performance groups, and renowned entertainment agencies in order to attract more visitors from home and abroad.

Sanya continues to be the most popular tourist destination in Hainan.

Leveraging the advantages of free trade port policies and its stunning natural environment, Sanya will focus on integrating tourism with performances and conferences to attract more international individual tourists and tour groups, said Albert Yip, director general of Sanya Tourism Board.

The rise in inbound tourism can be partly attributed to the continuous optimization of visa-free policies. Last year, Hainan further optimized its visa-free entry that had been granted to nationals from 59 countries.

Darya, a Russian tourist visiting China for the first time, said that as a traveler who enjoys exploring new places, the visa-free option made her trip to Hainan particularly convenient.

As the tourism sector continues to thrive, consumption is also on the rise. In 2024, Hainan's 12 offshore duty-free shops reported sales totaling 47.03 billion yuan. This year, the province aims to accelerate the integration of the duty-free sector with other industries, setting a target of 52 billion yuan in sales.

The government work report indicates that in 2025, Hainan will promote the integrated development of culture, sports, tourism, and health industries to foster new forms of consumption and unlock consumption potential.

This year, the province aims to welcome over 100 million tourist visits, both domestic and international. According to Chen Tiejun, director of the provincial department of tourism, culture, radio, television and sports, Hainan plans to diversify its tourism offerings by introducing attractive cultural and tourism projects. It will also organize more performances, art activities, and sports events, seamlessly integrating these with traditional scenic spots, business districts, and duty-free shops to stimulate consumption.

At the Central Economic Work Conference in December 2024, China's policymakers, while mapping out economic work for 2025, highlighted the need to vigorously boost consumption, improve investment efficiency, and expand domestic demand on all fronts.

China aims to build Hainan into a globally influential tourism and consumption destination by 2035.

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