A tourist lands after a skydive in Sanya, southern China’s Hainan province, on January 9, 2024. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)
Southern China’s Hainan island has become a hotspot for aviation sports fans, highlighting the mutual promotion and integration of the sports and tourism industries.
HAIKOU, June 2 (Xinhua) — Southern China’s Hainan island has become a hotspot for air sports enthusiasts as skydiving has recently surged in popularity in the country.
Chen Yajun, a Shanghai resident, is a newbie skydiving enthusiast but has already skydive four times in Hainan province, the first three times from a helicopter but this time opted for a fixed-wing plane.
“Jumping out of a plane is an incredible feeling. Not only do you get to see the world from a different perspective, but you also experience a deep sense of freedom,” Chen said.
In recent years, aviation sports have been attracting a great deal of attention in China, especially in Hainan Province, where sports tourism is thriving.
“Skydiving is becoming more well-known and we already see great growth potential for the sport,” said Zhang Enming, general manager of Sanya Taihe Extreme Sports Club.
The famous club set a national record during the 2023 Chinese New Year period when 166 people went skydiving in a single day.
Tourists skydive in Sanya, southern China’s Hainan province, on January 9, 2024. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)
According to Xu Liwen, secretary-general of the Hainan Aviation Sports Association, the tropical island’s natural advantages make it ideal for the development of aviation sports.
Hainan’s warm climate allows for flying more than 340 days a year, and popular air sports such as paragliding, skydiving and drone racing thrive on the island.
Local government policies also play an important role. “In recent years, Hainan has deepened reforms in low-altitude airspace management, creating a favorable policy environment for aviation sports,” said Ma Chao, a researcher at Hainan Normal University.
The benefits of the Hainan Free Port system, such as visa-free travel for tourists from 59 countries and regions and “zero tariffs” on imported goods such as aircraft, are also having an impact.
In 2023, Hainan led the nation in skydiving activity, recording 4,200 flight hours, 10,700 takeoffs and landings, and 45,300 tourist trips. These figures accounted for 37.7%, 42.8%, and 39.6% of the national total, respectively.
During this year’s “two sessions” parliamentary season, low-altitude economics was included in China’s Government Work Report for the first time, with aviation sports highlighted as a driver of consumption and regional economic transformation.
“Aviation sports breaks the limitations of ground tourism and offers tourists a new scenic view from the sky. This unique experience will open up new avenues for the tourism industry,” Xu said. “An era of mutual promotion of aviation sports and the local economy has arrived in Hainan.”
