China travel mart maps future of blended tourism experiences

Haikou hosted the 2025 China International Travel Mart on Dec 19, the first major international exhibition in Hainan since the province launched island-wide special customs operations as a free trade port. The event attracted over 1,000 international tourism professionals from 101 countries and regions, highlighting FTP's growing global appeal.

This year's CITM boasted more diverse exhibitors than previous editions, with zones set up not only by Asia-Pacific nations but also European, South American and Central Asian organizations. Many international attendees spoke highly of Hainan's visa-free policies and direct flights to participate. Professional negotiations focused on practical topics including cross-border payment facilitation, data compliance and talent collaboration, reflecting how institutional opening-up post-customs independence translates into substantive cooperation.

As the host, Hainan presented a 12,000-square-meter Sunshine Hainan exhibition zone. Integrating island-wide resources under six themes, it showcased the industrial landscape and consumption scenes shaped by the tourism integration model. Through sections like "tourism and tropical agriculture", "tourism and high-tech", and "tourism and modern services", Hainan illustrated the deep integration framework of tourism and other industries within the FTP ecosystems.

Though CITM has concluded, Hainan's global tourism collaboration is just starting. Higher-level openness and institutional innovations will further connect Hainan's cultural and tourism sectors with the international market, creating broader opportunities for global tourism cooperation.

At the inbound tourism consumption exhibition area of the CITM, the cross-border model integrating "aviation, culture & tourism, cultural heritage and technology" emerged as a highlight.  [Photo/Hainan Daily]