2018 Hainan International Tourism Island Carnival Opens to Tourists Worldwide

On November 24, the 2018 (19th) Hainan International Tourism Island Carnival kicked off in Haikou, introducing more than 120 activities for visitors from home and abroad, for unforgettable leisure time in Hainan. The governor of Hainan Province, Mr. Shen Xiaoming, announced the opening. In the upcoming month, more than 120 activities such as art performances, sports competitions, exhibitions and celebrations will be staged, bringing unforgettable happy experience to the global visitors.

After years of efforts, the Hainan Carnival is now a featured celebration of tourism, and the highlight in tourism and culture of global influence. This carnival is of a larger scale, higher level, with more participants than ever before, and has attracted guests from more than 20 countries and regions, and from 21 provinces, cities and districts of China."

The Hainan Carnival shows the tourism and culture of Hainan, and is the festival of us all," Salote Pilolevu Tuita, Princess of the Kingdom of Tonga and President of the Tonga-China Friendship Association, who came to attend the carnival, appreciated Hainan's efforts to build an international tropical island resort. Mr. Vira Rojpojchanarat, Minister of Culture of Thailand, pointed out that the Hainan International Tourism Island Carnival is world-famous and promotes the protection and development of cultural heritage. Thailand has also sent art troupes to give a performance. Duan Qiang, Chairman of the World Tourism Alliance (WTA), said that as China's first region-wide tourism province, Hainan enjoys a sound momentum of tourism development. He believed that the central government's preferential policies for Hainan'sdevelopment and construction will inject strong momentum into Hainan's tourism development.

"We welcome tourists from home and abroad to Hainan to appreciate its unique charm," Fu Caixiang, Vice Governor of Hainan Province, extended a cordial invitation at the opening ceremony. The carnival is hosted by Hainan Provincial Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports, which is composed of Haikou Main Venue and five sub-venues in Sanya, Danzhou, Qionghai, Wanning and Lingshui. International main events such as the 2018 World Leisure Tourism Expo, the 4th Hainan International Tourism and Food Expo and the first World Tourism and Investment Conference will be held. The carnival will close in Sanya on December 31.