The Norwegian Spirit cruise ship marked a historic milestone in Sanya, Hainan Province, this week as it docked with 1,800 passengers – over 99% of whom were international travelers. This unprecedented ratio represents the highest proportion of foreign visitors on any cruise voyage since Sanya resumed international routes in 2023, signaling growing global confidence in China's tourism infrastructure.
Local authorities attributed the smooth arrival to optimized customs procedures implemented this year, which reduced processing times by 40% compared to 2024. "This visit demonstrates Sanya's capacity to handle large-scale international tourism," said Chen Wei, a Hainan tourism official. "We're seeing particularly strong interest from European and Southeast Asian markets."
The development aligns with Hainan's broader strategy to establish itself as Asia's premier cruise hub by 2028. Recent upgrades to Sanya's Phoenix International Cruise Terminal have increased annual handling capacity to 1.5 million passengers, with three new international routes scheduled to launch in Q1 2026.
