The Love Hainan tourism promotion event, spearheaded by Hainan Provincial Tourism Development Commission, was successfully held in Beijing on June 14. The event highlighted the themes of “family” and “parent-child relationships,” inviting international families to participate in interactive activities representing Hainan’s unique tourism resources. The event attracted over 30 families from around the world, as well as influential leaders from the tourism, education, media, and commerce sectors to experience the distinctive charm of Hainan. 

Fall in love With Hainan, whatever your age

2018 was a monumental year for Hainan Island, marking 30 years since its founding as a province. In the same year, the Central Party Committee designated Hainan a Free Trade Zone. With its rich natural resources, breathtaking scenery, and clean environment, Hainan is en route to becoming a top international tourism destination.

At the event, children from around the world visited a specially-created playground; every guest was given an entry ticket and tasked with collecting stamps at different games. For example, in the VR section, children experienced the thrill of surfing in the ocean as if they were actually there.

In the cooking section, a young girl made a cool and refreshing drink by mixing dozens of ingredients such as green beans, peanuts, and quail eggs into a cup of coconut milk. The “Happy Hainan, Summer Paradise” drawing exhibition was a favorite among the attendees. The drawings were submitted by foreign children living in Beijing, a collaboration between Hainan Tourism Development Committee and Beijing Kids magazine. Over 50 children used drawings to depict their vision of Hainan; the blue horizon where the sky meets the sea; the pure white sandy beaches; the swaying coconut trees; and the rainforests teeming with plants and animals.

At the Li-Miao Ethnic Experience Area, children discovered the culture of Hainan minority groups by watching and trying Li embroidery weaving. This and other exhibitions gave the families plenty of memorable Hainan photo ops.

Hainan is known for its lovely weather, with an average yearly temperature between 22 to 25 degrees Celsius. With 62% of the island covered by forest, Hainan can truly live up to its reputation as a nature-rich island perfectly suited for tourism. In recent years, Hainan has been rapidly developing its transportation system and infrastructure, connecting it seamlessly with the rest of the world. In 2017, Hainan received approximately 67.5 million visits by tourists from China and abroad, of which 1.1 million were from abroad.

Director General of Hainan Tourism Provincial Development Commission Sun Ying introduced Hainan’s ambitions to develop its tourism sector. She recommended Hainan’s rich tourism resources and its wide array of family-friendly activities and extended a warm invitation to families to visit Hainan during their summer vacation.

When the aforementioned 50 drawings appeared on the screen, a round of applause went around the room. The event hosts used five paintings to introduce Hainan’s tropical maritime and rainforest resources, unique culture, and delicious food, as well as its spa and golf retreats. The judges selected the three most representative drawings and the young artists were invited to the stage to share their creative ideas.

The organizers prepared a special gift of a wooden toy depicting Hainan elements such as coconut trees that the children can take home and paint themselves. The trees dance about when pressed. Some of the children were invited onto the stage to dance with Hainan’s famous mascot, a cute chubby coconut tree named Boboye, while the parents looked on with delight.

Also during the event, the Lingshui Ensemble sang beautiful local songs. The families were invited to the stage to play games and enter lucky draws, just a few of the evening’s highlights. The party came to an end when everyone in the room sang a song together, a well-known song welcoming tourists to Hainan, “Please Come to the End of the Earth!”

Multimedia promotion depicts a diverse Hainan

Media including China Daily, People’s Daily Overseas Channel, Phoenix.com, and Beijing Kids were invited to the Love Hainan event. Beijing TV, Travel Satellite TV, CNC reported on the event. In the future, more in-depth features will be produced to promote Hainan. Hainan is accelerating its transition towards an international tourism island with Chinese characteristics. Thanks to consistent efforts to promote its unique beauty and resources, Hainan aims to open up to the tourists worldwide. 

This post is provided by Hainan Tourism Commission
Photos courtesy of Hainan Tourism Commission

Hainan is paradise on Earth, with its luscious landscapes and endless possibilities for fun in the sun. It will also be one of the summer’s hottest destinations for many families craving some quality time on the beach this summer. Here is how some of Beijing’s youngest artists have used their imaginative skills to perfectly embody the spirit and beauty of this island oasis.

George Sanders, 7 (Ukraine): “Paradise”
Hainan is a beautiful paradise with plenty of coconut trees, golden sand, blue sky, and fresh air!

Miha Gobec, 8 (Slovenia): “Protect the Ocean”
Humans need to stop harming the ocean. The fishing nets should be used to clean up the rubbish, and give back the beautiful homes of endangered marine animals. Hainan has clean water. I like Hainan!

Aurora McGuire, 7 (US): “My Blue World”
I like to swim, I like the sea, I like fish, and I like nature. Hainan has all of them, so I like Hainan!

Uma Muthuraman, 5 (India): “Hainan: Nature’s Beach Paradise”
Hainan is a beautiful place where I can enjoy the beach, sand, and sun. It will be great fun swimming, making sand castles, and playing in the water with my little brother.

Benjamin Sunhong Min Gaspard, 10 (US): “Mother of the Ocean”
Oceans should not just be blue, there are so many creatures that live there, which is why they should be painted using rainbows!

This article appeared on p15 of beijingkids June 2018 issue
This post is paid for by Hainan Summer Paradise