Sanya inbound tourism shows sign of recovery
Sanya's inbound tourism industry is showing signs of recovery, as flights from five Russia cities have arrived in Sanya, Hainan Province, last week.
The number of inbound tourists in Sanya dropped 40 percent in 2009. The Sanya government has organized tourism marketing groups this year to Germany, Russia and Ukraine to promote the province's second-largest city as a world-class tourist destination.
Li Boqing, Sanya's vice mayor, said the city will cooperate with international travel agencies to develop Sanya's travel resources.
The Russian travel agency PEGAS is scheduled for more than 540 flights to Sanya this year, bringing 80,000 to 100,000 tourists, or the total number of Russian tourists as last year. In June, two more Russian cities will open direct flights to Sanya. PEGAS's vice president said government support for tourism, such as subsidies for airlines to open air routes to Hainan, has helped attract international tourism companies.