The Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports of Hainan Province has reported significant success from its international social media promotion campaign themed "China's Free Trade Port, World-Class Resort Island: Welcome to Cool Hainan." Launched earlier this year, the campaign has brought the tropical island into the global spotlight, attracting more international tourists to visit Hainan.
According to the department, the campaign published 56 travel-themed pieces of content across major social media platforms, generating over 16 million exposures. The content was tailored for key inbound tourist source markets, including Russian-speaking regions, Southeast Asia, Europe, and North America, and was distributed through multilingual accounts in Russian, Thai, Indonesian, French, Spanish, and Portuguese. The campaign's reach extended to an audience of over 52 million followers, highlighting Hainan's appeal as a world-class resort destination.
Breaking from traditional promotional models, the campaign released seven themed series of tourism content that featured practical travel guides and immersive on-site scenarios. Each month highlighted a different aspect of Hainan's diverse offerings. January focused on high-end luxury getaways on the Sunshine Coast; February showcased the distinct Li and Miao ethnic Spring Festival customs; March featured trendy surfing experiences and Wenchang aerospace study tours; April highlighted water sports and wellness tourism; May presented archaeological study tours and rainforest adventures; June promoted rainforest self-driving tours and ethnic minority villages; and July rolled out "Ten Signature Marine Tourism Routes," with a single post achieving over 2.6 million impressions.
The content showcased Hainan's bays, rainforests, folk customs, health and wellness options, and sports activities, while also providing practical travel information. This included visa-free policies for 86 countries, temporary permits for foreign driver's licenses, shopping details, and duty-free and departure tax refund policies for off-island travel. By integrating natural scenery, local intangible cultural heritage, and modern tourism consumption formats, the campaign provided a comprehensive view of what Hainan has to offer.
Global social media users have responded with strong interest in traveling to Hainan. Many have left comments asking for specific details about visa-free policies, dining, accommodation, sightseeing, and self-driving trips, and several users have indicated that they have added Hainan to their travel bucket lists.
The campaign aims to build Hainan's international image as a "World-Class Resort Island" and enhance its appeal as an inbound tourism destination. An official from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports of Hainan Province noted that Hainan possesses tropical coastal tourism resources that are unique in China. Capitalizing on the policy dividends and openness advantages of the Free Trade Port, Hainan will continue to optimize its tourism service offerings for international visitors and foster a tourism consumption environment that meets international standards.
