5-year plan to turn Hainan into a national sports tourism demonstration zone

On April 2nd, 2020, Hainan unveiled a five-year plan for developing the island into a national sports tourism demonstration zone, following a plan released by China’s State Council in October 2018 that aimed to support all-around deepening of reform and opening-up in Hainan.

The plan will be implemented from 2020 to 2025. It proposes that the “demonstration zone” of Hainan Province make early progress in pioneering the development of the country’s sports tourism and cultivating a brand image by 2022. A “national sports tourism demonstration zone” should be completed by 2025, with successful experiences which can be copied and promoted nationwide.

Under the plan, Hainan will make use of the advantages of the Hainan pilot free trade zone (port) to promote deeper integration of tourism with the sports industry, with the goal of building an integrated world-class sports tourism business model and environment.

Hainan will tap its unique and rich natural and cultural resources, introducing quality international sports tourism developers and products, as well as further developing the island’s local sports events, in order to ensure that sports tourism becomes a major part of boosting Hainan as an international tourism consumption center.

Under the plan, Sanya will give priority to developing a new batch of emerging sports tourism products such as marine tourism, and low-altitude helicopter sightseeing tourism, with the goal of developing into a world-class boutique sports tourism destination.