Thousands trapped in China’s tourism hotspot – News Line

The tourist destination of Sanya, a city of more than a million people on the southern island of Hainan, reported 483 Covid cases on Sunday. As a result of which all flights out of the city were canceled over the weekend, the authorities also stopped the sale of train tickets.

Tourists who want to visit must test negative in five PCR tests in seven days, health officials said. Hotels in the city have been asked to offer a 50 percent discount to guests until travel restrictions are eased, an official said during a news briefing on Saturday.

China is the only major economy still sticking to a zero-covid strategy with snap lockdowns and prolonged quarantines, hurting domestic tourism.

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The country’s borders have also been largely closed since early 2020, deterring international tourists.

The latest Covid outbreak comes during peak tourism season in Sanya, a popular surfing spot.

All entertainment venues including spas, karaoke bars and pubs have been closed since last week, but essential services such as supermarkets and pharmacies are open.