New ASEAN Special Line Opens: Haikou to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
In an effort to strengthen ties and promote tourism between Hainan and ASEAN countries, the Haikou-Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam route was officially opened on January 15th. Operated by Hainan Airlines, the route will fly every Monday and Thursday, providing increased accessibility for travelers between the two destinations.
Meilan International Airport in Haikou reported that a group of travel agents from nine ASEAN countries took the inaugural flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Haikou on the same day as the route’s opening. This marks a significant step in enhancing cultural, economic, and trade exchanges between Hainan and the ASEAN region.
The accelerated opening of international routes has resulted in a gradual increase in the number of tourists from Southeast Asia visiting Hainan. According to the Hainan Provincial Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television, and Sports, the number of Malaysian tourists increased by 1,650% year-on-year, and Singaporean tourists increased by 1,730% year-on-year in the first eleven months of 2023. Southeast Asian inbound tourists now account for approximately one-third of the total inbound tourists in Hainan Province.
In response to the opening of the Haikou-Ho Chi Minh City route, Hainan Youtuan International Travel Service Co., Ltd. organized travel agents from nine ASEAN countries to participate in the “Scenery All the Way to Hainan” 2024 China (Hainan)-ASEAN tourism promotion event. The travel agents will engage in a China-ASEAN tourism high-quality development roundtable dialogue and will also visit Haikou and Sanya to inspect Hainan’s tourism resources.
Looking ahead, the Hainan Provincial Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television, and Sports is actively promoting the resumption of more overseas routes. The department aims to have 62 overseas passenger routes open in the province by the end of 2024, with an anticipated 800,000 overnight visitors throughout the year. This ambitious goal underscores Hainan’s commitment to furthering international connectivity and promoting tourism in the region.