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Hainan Free-Trade Port Launch Drives Tourism Surge and Fresh Corporate Activity

China’s island-wide customs shift pairs sweeping tariff relief with a value-add route into the mainland to attract investment and visitors.

BOAO, CHINA - AUGUST 05: Aerial view of the scenery along the Hainan coastal highway for sightseeing on August 5, 2023 in Boao, Hainan Province of China. The 988-kilometer scenic highway around Hainan Island opened to traffic on December 18, 2023.
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Overview

  • Since Dec. 18, international interest has climbed, with Qunar reporting more than a 40% rise in flight bookings to Haikou from Christmas through the 2026 Spring Festival period.
  • The new regime separates Hainan’s customs from the mainland and raises zero‑tariff eligibility to about 74% of goods while expanding duty‑free categories to over 6,600.
  • Travel facilitation includes visa‑free entry for travelers from 86 countries and expanded waivers for cruise passengers and tour groups, with officials touting faster processing.
  • Policy design lets products with at least 30% value added in Hainan enter the mainland duty‑free, encouraging on‑island processing and manufacturing.
  • Early signals include rising China and Hong Kong stocks and Siemens Energy launching a Hainan subsidiary and turbine assembly project, as analysts frame the port as a reform test watched by trade partners.