Amid an unprecedented surge in travel during the Lunar New Year holiday, authorities in Hainan province have taken action to address challenges faced by thousands of stranded tourists. Hainan remains a favourite destination for Chinese tourists during this festive period and this year, the island witnessed a 30% increase in travel flow, with outbound travel peaking on February 13th and expected to continue until Monday, according to authorities.
To alleviate congestion, measures such as increased flights, new ferry and shuttle services, and the reopening of parking bays at airports have been implemented. The local transportation bureau reported that approximately 17,300 cars were scheduled to depart the tropical island by ferry on Sunday, with about a third having left by 9 a.m. However, boarding the ferry and leaving the island could take at least seven hours, highlighting the strain on transportation infrastructure. Parking lots at three major ports for ferry services in Haikou, the provincial capital, were reported to be at full capacity.
Travelers also faced exorbitant flight prices, with one reporting that flight prices to Wuhan soared to over 7,500 yuan ($1,043). A search for flights from Haikou to Shanghai revealed sold-out tickets for Sunday and a steep price increase for Monday flights, reaching 8,500 yuan before dropping the following day. The Civil Aviation Administration of China announced an increase in flights from Haikou and Sanya to meet the high demand.
Hainan Island’s transportation woes underscore longstanding challenges. With no bridges or undersea tunnels connecting the island to the mainland, airplanes and ferries remain the sole modes of exit. Despite increasing calls for the construction of a bridge, experts and officials have pointed out significant technical challenges due to the complex terrain of the strait. This isn’t the first time the island has faced such challenges, as evidenced by the 2018 Lunar New Year holiday when tens of thousands of tourists were stranded due to unseasonal fog halting cross-strait ferry services.
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