HK, Sanya celebrate launch of new direct flight service

A new route from Hong Kong International Airport to Sanya Phoenix International Airport run by HK Express was launched on May 10.

The route is scheduled to be operated every Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday, promoting the development of culture, tourism and economics in Hong Kong and Hainan province.

In 2023, Sanya received the largest number of overseas tourists in the province, among which the largest portion were from Hong Kong. From July 2023 to the first quarter of 2024, the regular Sanya-Hong Kong air route’s throughput reached 61,700 passengers.

In the first quarter of this year, the average passenger load factor of the route exceeded 70 percent, and the number of inbound overnight Hong Kong tourists increased by 113 percent year-on-year.

HK Express CEO Jeanette Mao stated that HK Express is expected to attract more tourists from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to Sanya.

The new route will also help foster collaboration and interactions between Hainan and Hong Kong, advancing the coordinated growth of the Greater Bay Area and the Hainan Free Trade Port, added Mao.

Ye Jialin, director of the Sanya tourism board, said that Sanya's natural resources complement Hong Kong's financial services, effectively driving mutual development in economy, culture, and tourism.

Ye added that Sanya will continue to enhance cooperation with Hong Kong, a world-class tourism and financial hub, to boost the city's global image, create an internationally recognized cultural and tourism brand with Sanya's unique characteristics, and contribute to the development of the Hainan FTP as an international tourism destination.