The China International Travel Mart 2025 opened on Friday in Haikou, the capital of south China’s Hainan Province, marking the first time the country’s largest tourism trade fair has been held in the island province. The event is organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and runs for three days, bringing together domestic and international stakeholders from across the global travel and tourism industry.
According to the organizers, the fair has attracted more than 1,000 business operators and industry representatives from 101 countries and regions. Participants include tourism authorities, travel agencies, airlines, hotel groups, digital travel platforms, and cultural institutions, reflecting the breadth of China’s tourism value chain and its growing engagement with overseas markets. The scale and diversity of attendance underline China’s efforts to position tourism as a channel for international economic exchange and people-to-people connectivity.
Covering an exhibition area of approximately 65,000 square meters, the event is divided into five themed sections. These focus on domestic tourism, overseas tourism cooperation, inbound tourism and tourist consumption, cultural and tourism integration, and a dedicated zone promoting Hainan as an international travel destination. The structure mirrors China’s current tourism policy priorities, which emphasize boosting domestic demand while accelerating the recovery of inbound travel and cross-border tourism services.
Hainan’s role in China’s tourism and trade strategy
The decision to host the China International Travel Mart in Haikou highlights Hainan’s rising strategic importance in China’s broader economic and opening-up agenda. Long positioned as a pilot zone for tourism reform, the island has increasingly been promoted as a testing ground for institutional innovation, consumption upgrading, and international service trade. Hosting the travel mart aligns with Hainan’s ambition to develop into a globally competitive tourism and consumption hub.
This year’s event coincides with a major policy milestone. On Thursday, China officially launched island-wide special customs operations in the Hainan Free Trade Port, which is described as the world’s largest free trade port by area. The new framework allows for freer entry of overseas goods, expanded zero-tariff coverage, and additional measures aimed at reducing institutional barriers for businesses operating in the port.
These changes are expected to have direct implications for tourism-related sectors, including duty-free retail, international exhibitions, cruise tourism, and high-end leisure services. By lowering trade and customs frictions, policymakers aim to strengthen Hainan’s attractiveness to foreign investors and international brands, many of which are closely linked to tourism consumption.
Tourism opening amid broader economic policy shifts
China’s push to deepen opening-up through the Hainan Free Trade Port comes at a time of heightened global economic uncertainty and rising protectionism. Officials and analysts have described the move as a significant step in promoting high-standard free trade and signaling China’s commitment to integration with global markets. For the tourism industry, this policy direction supports greater cross-border mobility of services, capital, and consumers.
The timing of the travel mart also reflects China’s broader efforts to revitalize its tourism economy after several years of disruption. In addition to trade facilitation measures, authorities have placed increasing emphasis on regulatory coordination, digitalization of tourism services, and deeper integration between culture and tourism industries. Exhibits at the fair highlight products ranging from traditional cultural experiences to smart tourism solutions and international travel partnerships.
Visa-free policies and inbound travel growth
Another key factor shaping the outlook for China’s tourism sector is the steady expansion of its visa-free travel policies. China has gradually widened unilateral and mutual visa exemption arrangements in recent years, with tourists from 76 countries now eligible for visa-free entry. Transit visa exemptions have also been extended to travelers from 55 countries, lowering entry barriers for short-term visits and business travel.
Official data indicate that these measures are having a measurable impact. Visa-free entries accounted for more than 7 million foreign arrivals in the third quarter of this year, representing a 48.3 percent year-on-year increase. The growth suggests a continued recovery in inbound travel and renewed international interest in China as a destination for tourism, business, and cultural exchange.
For participants at the China International Travel Mart, the combination of expanded visa-free access, policy support for inbound tourism, and the institutional advantages of the Hainan Free Trade Port creates a more predictable and open environment for cross-border cooperation. Industry observers note that sustained recovery will depend not only on policy incentives but also on service quality, international connectivity, and confidence among global travelers.
As China continues to recalibrate its tourism and trade policies, events such as the travel mart in Haikou serve as platforms to align domestic priorities with international market expectations, while reinforcing the country’s role in global tourism and service trade networks.
