Tourists splash 103 billion yuan in Sanya in 2025

Sanya experienced a boom in tourism throughout 2025 and the momentum is extending into the new year.

Last year Sanya welcomed 36.16 million tourists, a 6.81 percent increase on the previous year and total tourist spending reached 103.26 billion yuan ($14.8 billion) — representing a 9.46 percent increase and moving above the 100 billion yuan mark for the first time, according to a news report by Haikou Daily.

As the Spring Festival approaches, the Qiongzhou Strait ferry service is projected to handle 4.66 million passengers and 1.17 million vehicles in the festival travel boom — marking robust increases of 12 percent and 10 percent, respectively, from last year.

Moreover, the number of new energy vehicles mobilized for the travel boom is projected to reach 200,000, up by over 50 percent from the previous year.

Maritime transportation company Hainan Strait Shipping Co Ltd plans to deploy 51 passenger ferries as well as four deck cargo ships for transporting new energy vehicles in the upcoming travel boom.

Specifically, 49 passenger ferries and four deck cargo ships are planned for the routes from Xinhai Port to Xuwen Port and from Xiuying Port to Hai’an New Port (Hai’an Port). Additionally, four passenger ferries are allocated for the railway ferry route and another four for the Haikou to Beihai and Fangchenggang routes.