(Source: Nouvelles d’Europe, Xinhua News)

On the evening of 3 November, the Hainan (London) Tourism and Culture Exchange Promotion Event was successfully held in London. Capitalising on the platform of the 2026 World Travel Market (WTM) London, the event showcased Hainan’s distinctive cultural tourism resources and the developmental opportunities of the Hainan Free Trade Port to the British travel industry, aiming to deepen bilateral cooperation in destination promotion, product development, and visitor exchange.

Attendees included Zhang Li, Director of the China National Tourists Office (CNTO) London; Martin Rowley, Deputy Mayor of York; and Wang Yuechuan, Director of the International and Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Market Promotion Division at the Hainan Provincial Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports, alongside UK travel professionals, golf institutions, media representatives, and members of the Hainan delegation.

In his address, Wang Yuechuan highlighted that Hainan Airlines’ Haikou-London direct flight provides great convenience for travel between the two destinations. He noted that Hainan boasts unique tropical island scenery and rich ecological and cultural resources.

In recent years, the province has continuously diversified its tourism offerings, introducing experiences such as golf, hot spring wellness, aerospace study tours, intangible cultural heritage experiences, and rainforest exploration to meet the varied holiday needs of international visitors. As the construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port progresses, the region is actively enhancing the convenience of inbound travel and improving tourism services. Wang expressed his anticipation for practical cooperation with the UK travel industry and invited British travel agents to visit Hainan on familiarisation trips to experience the tropical island charm and the vitality of the Free Trade Port first-hand.

Zhang Li from CNTO London remarked that Sino-British people-to-people cultural and tourism exchanges have a long history, expressing hopes that the event would serve as a bridge to further facilitate communication and mutual visits.

Martin Rowley shared his deep interest in Chinese culture, drawing on his previous experiences visiting China, and expressed his eager anticipation of visiting Hainan. As a golf enthusiast, he highlighted his particular interest in the Mission Hills Haikou Blackstone Course, hoping to personally experience its unique volcanic landscape.

活动现场，三亚市旅游发展局与英国丝路旅行社签署合作协议，三亚旅游境外推广联络点（英国）正式设立。该联络点将依托英国丝路旅行社的本土渠道优势，结合英国游客的出行需求开发旅游产品，并常态化开展目的地推广和同业考察活动，推动两地客源互送，为三亚进一步拓展英国旅游市场建立稳定的合作渠道。

A major highlight of the event was the signing of a cooperation agreement between the Sanya Tourism Board and Silk Road Travel (UK), marking the official establishment of the Sanya Tourism Overseas Promotion Liaison Office (UK). Relying on local UK channels, this liaison office will develop tailored tourism products based on British tourists’ preferences, conduct regular destination promotions, and organise familiarisation trips, thereby establishing a stable collaborative channel for Sanya to expand into the UK market.

During the presentation segment, Hainan’s “Top 10 Tourism Business Cards” took centre stage, showcasing the island’s natural beauty and cultural characteristics. International recommender John Chapman, who visited Hainan in May, shared his personal travel experiences from a visitor’s perspective. Further presentations detailed golf tourism, Sanya’s tourism resources, international routes from Sanya Phoenix International Airport, and Hainan Airlines’ Haikou-London direct flight, providing valuable references for British travel professionals to design Hainan itineraries.

The event also featured an interactive golf putting area and a Hainan cultural exhibition booth. Through engaging experiences, displays of Li brocade creative products, island photography albums, and bilingual explanations, guests gained a deeper understanding of Hainan’s natural environment and intangible cultural heritage, whilst networking with exhibiting institutions and enterprises.During WTM London 2026, Hainan hosted both a brand image booth and independent booths to showcase the destination and facilitate business matchmaking. Exhibitors included the Sanya Tourism Board, Sanya Phoenix International Airport, Hainan Travel Agency Association, Hainan Hotel Association, Mission Hills Resort, Hainan Airlines, Trip.com Group, Kangtai Travel, Meichen Travel, and China General Aviation. These entities engaged with the global travel industry, focusing on coastal resorts, golf, luxury hotels, and aviation services.

Europe remains one of Hainan’s key target markets for inbound tourism. The Hainan Provincial Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports extended a warm invitation to the UK travel industry, welcoming more travel agents and tourists to take direct flights to Hainan and discover the natural beauty and diverse culture of the tropical island.