On May 19, the "Hainan Tourism and Culture Promotion Symposium," organized by the Hainan Provincial Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television, and Sports, was successfully held in Auckland, New Zealand, the "City of Sails." Representatives from the Chinese Consulate General in Auckland and Hainan engaged in in-depth exchanges with counterparts from Tourism New Zealand, Auckland City Council, and the New Zealand-China Friendship Society (Auckland Branch) on tourism, cultural, and sports cooperation between China and New Zealand, charting pathways for collaborative development.
Consul General Zhou Li of the Chinese Consulate General in Auckland stated in his speech that tourism plays a vital role in people-to-people exchanges and Belt and Road cooperation between the two nations. He expressed hope that the event would deepen China-New Zealand cultural and tourism collaboration, reaffirming the Consulate’s commitment to supporting such meaningful exchanges. Against the backdrop of Hainan’s accelerated development as a free trade port and international tourism consumption center, the event highlighted Hainan’s visa-free entry policies, international direct flight routes, and free trade port advantages. Discussions also focused on "strategies to boost Hainan’s inbound tourism" and "new avenues for deeper cultural-tourism industrial cooperation under the free trade port framework," aiming to elevate bilateral collaboration to new heights.
National Party List MP Nancy Lu commended Hainan’s rapid progress in tourism and cultural sectors, noting that the event offered New Zealand deeper insights into Hainan’s inbound tourism incentives and free trade port benefits, including visa exemptions and duty-free policies. She voiced anticipation for strengthened regional cooperation.
Li Haigang, Deputy Director-general of the Hainan Provincial Tourism Department, highlighted the province’s growing partnership with New Zealand. He cited the 30-day visa-free access for New Zealand citizens under Hainan’s "59-country visa-free" policy and the newly launched Haikou-Auckland direct flight as testaments to deepening ties. Wang Jianwen, Director of the Auckland Chinese Cultural Center, emphasized Hainan’s unique appeal as China’s sole tropical coastal province and its rising popularity among New Zealand travelers. He underscored the mutual growth in tourism exchanges and expressed hopes for more New Zealanders to discover Hainan’s allure through such initiatives.
Centered on the theme "all the sun, all the fun," the event showcased Hainan’s tourism resources and free trade port opportunities through promotional presentations, flight route introductions, panel discussions, and partnership signings. A visual journey unveiled Hainan’s azure seas, tropical rainforests, Li and Miao ethnic cultures, and modern urban landscapes. Travel influencers then spotlighted signature offerings like the Hainan Island Tourist Highway, duty-free shopping, and wellness retreats, vividly illustrating the province’s "holiday paradise" charm. Hainan Airlines outlined optimized international flight services connecting key tourist cities, enhancing global accessibility. The event culminated in a tourist exchange agreement between Hainan Kangtai Tourism Group and a local New Zealand travel agency, marking a new phase of cultural and tourism resource sharing.
As a pivotal gateway for China’s global engagement, Hainan is leveraging its status as the world’s largest free trade port to elevate inbound tourism through visa-free policies and service enhancements. Its ongoing transformation into an international tourism destination continues to project the irresistible allure of Hainan to the world.