Sanya receives 174,100 visitors during Dragon Boat Festival holiday

A total of 174,100 tourists visited Sanya, Hainan province during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday from June 25 to 27, generating 363 million yuan ($51 million) in tourism revenue, according to the Sanya tourism, culture, radio, television and sports bureau.

Paddy Field National Park and Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone held a series of activities to demonstrate traditions including dragon boat racing, bathing in "dragon water," brushing foreheads with realgar liquor, and wearing five-color ropes on the first day of the holiday.

As part of the precautions against the COVID-19 pandemic, the scenic spots across the city strictly controlled their visitor flow. Tourists were required to make reservations online and have their body temperature taken at the entrances of the scenic spots.

The holiday gave a boost to the revival of the local tourism, accommodation, and catering sectors from the negative impacts caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. The occupancy rate of several popular hotels exceeded 80 percent. Taking Pullman Sanya Yalong Bay Villas and Resort as an example, all rooms and buffet dinners were booked on the first two days of the holiday, said Jiang Yong, general manager of the hotel.

A mother and daughter visit Sanya Paddy Field National Park during the Dragon Boat Festival. [Photo by Chen Congcong/Sanya Daily]