Unified tourism police force ensures safety for all in Sanya

In Sanya, every policeman and policewoman also serves as a tourism police officer.

In October 2015, the country's first dedicated tourism police unit was launched at the Sanya Resident and Visitor Information Center.

Over the past decade, the team has focused on maintaining order in the tourism sector and ensuring a safe environment for visitors. They collaborate with government departments — like the culture and tourism, market supervision and transportation departments — to tackle various tourism-related offenses, achieving notable success.

As a result, the number of tourism-related legal cases in Sanya has significantly dropped, underscoring a clear principle: Tourism policing is a shared responsibility of all police officers, not just a specialized unit.

Ever helpful, tourism policemen assist a visitor in a wheelchair at a Sanya scenic spot. [Photo/Sanya Daily]

On-duty policemen lend a hand to help youngster tourists put on life jackets to ensure water safety. [Photo/Sanya Daily]

In tourist areas, officers conduct anti-fraud campaigns, educating visitors about their financial security. [Photo/Sanya Daily]

Showing the way: Traffic cops in Sanya direct vehicles on Lucheng Dadao, one of the major thoroughfares of the city, ensuring smooth road traffic. [Photo/Sanya Daily]

Sanya police officers conduct joint patrols with visiting Serbian counterparts. [Photo/Sanya Daily]

Special police units regularly go on patrol to enhance the security network in Sanya. [Photo/Sanya Daily]

Tourism police officers maintain safety and order at Sanya Romance of the Ages — the large-scale cultural theme park and performance attraction. [Photo/Sanya Daily]

In Sanya, having all officers act as tourism police has become standard practice.

At Sanya Phoenix International Airport, duty-free shops, yacht marinas and major attractions, every officer is ready to assist tourists at a moment's notice.

Along the beaches, coastal police ensure the safety of visitors enjoying water activities. On main roads and around tourist sites, motorcycle traffic police manage traffic and offer directions to tourists.

With a focus on developing comprehensive tourism and the Hainan Free Trade Port, Sanya's police embrace "tourism policing, safety first" as a core principle.

They're committed to enhancing tourism policing by implementing a "police-security joint control" strategy tailored to local needs.

By setting up standardized tourism police stations in key tourist areas and shopping venues, they aim to elevate safety services and establish a strong reputation for tourism policing.

The visibility and responsiveness of the police is clearly on the rise, especially in swiftly resolving tourism-related complaints and irregularities without disrupting visitors' plans.

Many issues are handled directly on the spot, leading to a steady decrease in tourist complaints.

From attractions to city streets — and from coastlines to shopping districts — wherever tourists venture, Sanya's tourism police are there to ensure their safety.