Sanya, China’s tropical coastal city, is actively expanding its international tourism network through a series of agreements signed at the 60th ITB Berlin and Hainan (Berlin) Tourism and Culture Promotion Exchange. These Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with SCAT Airlines of Kazakhstan, Latvia’s Riga Airport, Uzbekistan’s Air Samarkand, and Central and Eastern Europe’s Easy Booking aim to boost tourism from Central Asia and establish Sanya as a key aviation hub.
Expanding Air Routes and Regional Connections
The agreements build on recent breakthroughs in aviation rights liberalization and the benefits offered by the Hainan Free Trade Port. Sanya is increasingly popular with travelers from Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, who view it as the “benchmark for tropical holidays in China.” A key element of this expansion is the implementation of ‘Seventh Air Freedom,’ demonstrated by the Sanya-Prague route launched in 2025 by SCAT Airlines – a first for China.
Further collaboration with Riga Airport, formalized through a four-party MOU, aims to extend Sanya’s route network into the Baltic and Central and Eastern European regions. As Riga Airport CEO Laila Odina stated, Sanya’s appeal extends beyond its climate and beaches, offering potential as a “new gateway to the Chinese market.”
Boosting Tourism Through Strategic Partnerships
Beyond expanding air routes, Sanya is focusing on improving access to its tourism offerings. A partnership with Easy Booking, a Central and Eastern European online travel platform, will leverage its local expertise to target Sanya’s leisure, resort, and wellness options to high-value clients. Similarly, an MOU with Air Samarkand will focus on route optimization, product co-creation, and joint promotion to tap into the growing Central Asian tourism market.
A representative from the Sanya Tourism Board emphasized that these efforts represent a transformation from a single destination to an aviation and tourism hub connecting China with Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia, aiming to ensure visitors “arrive easily, stay comfortably, enjoy thoroughly and wish to return.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What is ‘Seventh Air Freedom’?
This entitlement permits foreign carriers to operate passenger flights between China and third countries without landing in their home territory, and is regarded as a landmark case in China’s aviation liberalisation process.
Which airlines are involved in these new partnerships?
SCAT Airlines of Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan’s Air Samarkand are key partners in Sanya’s expansion plans.
What is the goal of the partnership with Easy Booking?
The partnership with Easy Booking aims to leverage its expertise in Central and Eastern Europe to promote Sanya’s tourism offerings to a wider audience.
As Sanya continues to develop its aviation and tourism infrastructure, will this coordinated approach prove successful in attracting a greater number of international visitors?
