Uploaded today to the China Domestic module on client sites, the January and February Hainan tourist numbers are up almost a quarter on the same two months in pre-pandemic 2019. Clients should log in now for all the latest data from retail sales by category for the period to visitor numbers by means of transport.
Especially encouraging is the rapid return of air travel to the island. Following several lacklustre months air travel accounted for 23% of arrivals to Hainan in February, quite a contrast to the lows of 8% recorded last Spring.
In early March air travel to the island passed another critical milestone with Haikou Meilan airport reporting its first international passengers since February 2020. They numbered just 833 arriving and departing in the first week of March, rising to a little over 1500 last week.
As of next week there are direct international flights operating into Hainan Island from Hong Kong, Macau, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and Singapore, to name but a few.
Readers using our fact check service please note. There were no international passengers arriving or departing from the island's airports between March 2020 and February 2023. The island experienced almost 3 full years without any international passenger traffic at all and that includes flights from Hong Kong which is counted as an international destination.
