Phoenix Island in Sanya, South China's Hainan province. [Photo/VCG]

Hainan Free Trade Port is seeing a surge in travel demand ahead of the port's island-wide special Customs operations on Dec 18.

Data from Tongcheng Travel shows that hotel bookings for the first weekend of Dec 20 and 21, after the policy takes effect, have tightened rapidly in cities including Sanya and Haikou, with popular room types — like family-oriented rooms and sea-view suites — already sold out.

Starting on Dec 18, the special Customs operations will lift the share of zero-tariff products in Hainan FTP from 21 percent to 74 percent and further open the port's tourism, modern services, and high-tech industries.

The policy is expected to boost the island's appeal for winter sun-seekers and shopping-driven travelers. Searches for New Year holiday hotels in Sanya have jumped more than 200 percent year-on-year as of Wednesday, Tongcheng said. For flights during the period, Beijing, Chengdu, and Shanghai are projected to be the top three departure cities heading to Santa Phoenix International Airport in Haikou.

Easier entry procedures are also expected to draw more international travelers. Seoul, Bangkok, Singapore, Melbourne, and Moscow are forecast to be the five largest inbound source markets for trips into Hainan FTP via Sanya airport between Dec 18 and Dec 31.

China announced in 2018 that it would develop Hainan into a pilot free trade zone while gradually exploring and steadily promoting the establishment of an FTP with Chinese characteristics. In 2020, a master plan was unveiled to build the island into a globally influential and high-standard FTP by the middle of the century.