Hainan Leverages Hong Kong RoutesWorld Conference to Expand International “Air Bridges”

On September 24, 2025, the Sanya Tourism Board, in collaboration with Sanya Phoenix International Airport, was invited to participate in the Routes World 2025 held in Hong Kong. Hosted by Informa Markets, the conference brought together over 250 airlines from approximately 115 countries and more than 2,500 industry representatives to discuss new opportunities for the development of global aviation networks and the recovery of the tourism market.

Staff members are negotiating with airline representatives

During the conference, the Sanya delegation held in-depth exchanges and discussions with 15 international aviation and related enterprises, including Japan Airlines, Qatar Airways (Airport), LOT Polish Airlines, Canadian Airports, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), and Batik Air. The core topics covered the launch of new routes, the utilization of air service rights policies, and market cooperation models. Meanwhile, the delegation provided a detailed briefing on Hainan’s series of entry-exit facilitation policies, including complementary and overlapping measures such as visa-free entry for citizens of 59 countries, 240-hour transit visa exemption, and 144-hour visa exemption for foreign tourist groups from Hong Kong and Macao. Currently, citizens of 86 countries can enter Hainan visa-free with ordinary passports. In addition, the delegation explained the route subsidy support measures and shared the prospects for further connectivity between Sanya and the international market with all participants.

Staff members communicate with the guests

In the discussion with Japan Airlines, the Hainan side focused on introducing the latest developments in the local tourism market and the huge potential of high-end customer sources. The Japanese side expressed concern about the positive momentum of Sanya’s current tourism market and promised to incorporate the information from the discussion into its Asia-Pacific market strategy assessment. The communication with Qatar Airways (Airport) centered on the expansion of air service rights and subsidy policies. Hainan expressed its willingness to attract high-quality carriers such as Qatar Airways to launch direct or chartered routes, and both parties agreed to maintain follow-up communication on the possibility of cooperation.

For the Eastern European market, Hainan explored the feasibility of launching flights between Warsaw and Sanya with LOT Polish Airlines. As tourists in Eastern Europe show growing interest in coastal holidays, the two sides plan to further share market analysis and policy support information via email. The Canadian Airports suggested taking Vancouver International Airport as the preferred hub for future routes to Sanya and expressed willingness to assist in connecting with Air Canada to advance the launch of such routes.

At the conference, the discussion with IATA also elevated to the macro-industry level. The two sides exchanged views on global aviation trends, best practices in route planning, and other topics. IATA stated that it is willing to promote Sanya on its platform to help establish broader connections between Sanya and international airlines. Although some scheduled meetings were shifted to online formats due to the impact of Typhoon “Ragasa”, the Hainan delegation still established direct contacts with multiple parties such as Azerbaijan Airlines, Air Serbia, and Air Premia (South Korea) through the conference system and subsequent emails, laying the foundation for future cooperation. Currently, Sanya and Batik Air have reached a preliminary consensus on launching the “Sanya = Kuala Lumpur” route and plan to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to jointly promote the development of tourism markets in both places.

​​2025 World Routes Development Conference – Hainan Pavilion​

To consolidate the achievements of this participation, the Sanya Tourism Board has clearly defined three key follow-up tasks: first, accelerate the implementation of intended routes and continue to follow up on the cooperation progress with airlines such as Batik Air and LOT Polish Airlines; second, establish a long-term and effective communication mechanism to keep abreast of the dynamics of international airlines and market demands; third, continue to participate in the 2026 Asia Routes Conference to be held in Xi’an and the World Routes Conference to be held in Riyadh, so as to continuously enhance the visibility of Hainan Free Trade Port in the international aviation market.

This trip to the Hong Kong World Routes Conference not only strengthened Hainan’s connections with the international aviation community but also injected new impetus into the future construction of a more convenient “Air Silk Road”. Hainan is embracing global travelers with a more open stance.