Sanya city moves to expand its tourist market in Kazakhstan

In a bid to drum up business, the Sanya Tourism Board and Hainan Airport Group Co Ltd jointly visited Kazakhstan on May 17-20 — carrying out a series of practical cooperative initiatives in the southern hub city of Shymkent.

The move marked a key step for Sanya — the ever-popular tropical coastal resort city in China's southernmost Hainan province — in proactively going global and seizing opportunities for the development of inbound tourism.

It was also as a vivid demonstration of the Hainan Free Trade Port's efforts to deepen its cultural and tourism exchanges with Central Asia.

Joining forces: Representatives from the Sanya Tourism Board, Hainan Airport Group Co Ltd and Kazakhstan meet to discuss development strategy and joint projects. [Photo/Sanya Tourism Board]

At Shymkent Airport, the Sanya Overseas Tourism Promotion Liaison Office (Kazakhstan · Shymkent) was officially inaugurated.

This marked the implementation of the marketing strategy for prioritizing market promotions and cultivating tourist sources in advance in Central Asia.

In the future, local tourists will be able to access authoritative and timely information about Sanya tourism right on their doorstep, without having to travel all the way to China — building up potential tourist demand for the subsequent launch of direct flights.

Open for business: The Sanya Overseas Tourism Promotion Liaison Office (Kazakhstan · Shymkent) officially launches. [Photo/Sanya Tourism Board]

At the same time, the Sanya Tourism Board signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with representatives of local Kazakhstan airlines and travel agencies to promote the launch of direct flights between Sanya and the ancient city of Shymkent in Kazakhstan.

All the parties agreed to share resources, maintain regular communications and collaborate on preparatory work for the route's launch.

The goal is to establish direct flights from Kazakhstan's steppes to the South China Sea as soon as possible — enabling more Kazakhstan citizens to easily reach Sanya and experience its tropical coastal charm.

Kazakhstan has long ranked among the top source countries for inbound tourists to Sanya. As the tourism market continues to recover, demand for sun, wellness and seaside vacations in the Central Asian market is rapidly growing.

As the core area of Hainan FTP's International Tourism and Consumption Center, Sanya has partnered with Hainan Airport Group Co Ltd to create a model of "aviation + tourism" industrial synergy.

In the model, the Hainan Airport Group Co Ltd provides route operation expertise, while the Tourism Board contributes destination marketing capabilities — with both parties working together to enhance the efficiency of international cooperation.

Representatives from the Sanya Tourism Board, Hainan Airport Group Co Ltd and Kazakhstan discuss plans for the future at the meeting. [Photo/Sanya Tourism Board]

Moving forwards, plans are for the Sanya Tourism Board to leverage the Sanya Overseas Tourism Promotion Liaison Office (Kazakhstan · Shymkent) to accelerate the launch of new flight routes and the targeted development of tourist markets.

It will continue to optimize international flight schedules, enhance services for inbound travelers and diversify its tourism products — encouraging more Kazakhstan visitors to come back for more.

With the inauguration of the liaison office and the signing of the MoU, the cultural and tourism partnership between Sanya and Kazakhstan is transforming from blueprint into reality.