Over 80,000 tourists generally stranded on holiday The city has been dubbed “China’s Hawaii” after the COVID-19 outbreak led authorities to impose strict travel restrictions.
Travel hotspot Sanya, a city with a population of more than 1 million in southern Hainan Island, has reported 483 cases of COVID-19 over the week day.
All flights out of the city were cancelled over the weekend and the authorities stopped the sale of train tickets.
Health authorities say tourists who want to leave must have five negative PCR tests within seven days.
Hotels in the city have been asked to provide 50 percent of their guests discounts until travel restrictions are eased.
China is the only major economy still sticking to a zero-coronavirus strategy, and its rapid lockdown and prolonged quarantine have hit local tourism hard.
The country’s borders have also remained largely closed since early 2020 and international tourism has ceased.
The latest COVID-19 outbreak occurred during the peak tourist season in Sanya, a popular surfing destination.
All entertainment venues including spas, karaoke bars and bars have been closed since last week, but Essential services such as supermarkets and pharmacies remain open.
© 2022 AFP
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