This year, as Hainan’s visa free policy continued to broaden easy access to the island province in south China, the number of international travelers trended upward, with a rise in travel bloggers exploring Hainan’s many worthwhile attractions. Starting in October, four popular internet celebs from Italy, Canada, and the UK have been specially invited to check out the urban landscapes and cultural atmosphere of the free trade port, roaming through a number of different Hainan locales.

They have strolled through Haikou’s ancient qilou-lined streets, experienced a day in the life of a farmer on Limu Mountain, went looking for the most beautiful fishing village in China on Sanya’s West Island, and sighed over the beauty of the sunset on Boundary Island in Lingshui. The four vloggers documented every moment of their Hainan journeys, sharing content on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and other social media platforms that have garnered over 10 million views in total.

Italian social media celebrity Yasmin Von Roon posted her Hainan travel experiences on Instagram and TikTok, resulting in over 1.4 million views and 560 thousand likes. A global travel blogger, Yasmin has made her way across large swathes of the world, but even her extensive travel experience did not prepare her for her cultural journey through Hainan, which stunned her so completely that she decided to change her return ticket date in order to stay longer on Boundary Island.

Italian social media celebrity Yasmin Von Roon gets a chance to visit the Bird’s Nest Resort that she has been looking forward to seeing at the Yalong Bay Tropical Paradise Forest Park.

Jared Faa, a Canadian vlogger, has been waiting for 20 years to bring his parents back to Hainan, where they once worked. His parents were totally shocked at the overwhelming transformation Hainan has undergone since they last set foot on the island’s shores. In Jared’s first YouTube video of his parent’s return to Hainan, he showed their reactions to returning to their former workplace and apartment, showcasing the new discoveries they made along the way. The video has racked up over 200,000 views in the short time since it was released, with the number of views still on the rise, and many viewers posting their own memories of Hainan in the comment section. Several of Jared’s other Hainan videos have also gotten quite a lot of attention, receiving a total of over 6.6 million views on international social media platforms.

Hainan travel has become a popular online sensation, attracting more and more international social media stars. Italian photographer Fabio Nodari enjoys turning his lens on local culture, nature scenes, and customs. His Hainan videos show over 350 thousand total views on Instagram, X, and YouTube. British social media celebrity Harvey Charles has also attracted positive comments from his video, such as “I fell in love with Hainan because of this video. I definitely want to go when I have time.” 

Italian vlogger Fabio Nodari takes a selfie with a Li elder in Hainan's Binglanggu (Betel Nut Valley) Li and Miao Cultural Tourism Area.

The ‘An Open Future - The Power of Youth and Dreams in the Hainan FTP’ internet event, jointly organized by the Hainan International Media Center and Hinews, has resulted in wide ripples of acclaim as each new video showcasing the island drops, promoting the development of the Hainan culture and tourism industries as well as enhancing the international visibility of the Hainan FTP.