Sanya wraps PHOTO SANYA 2026 with push into European market

Sanya Tourism Board says its PHOTO SANYA 2026 familiarization trip for Central and Eastern European influencers and travel agents ended successfully in June, building on earlier roadshows in Europe. The program is aimed at expanding Sanya’s inbound tourism reach, and the city says bookings from European source markets surged in spring 2026.

Why it matters: - Sanya is trying to turn European awareness into more arrivals, spending and repeat visits. - The trip is part of a broader two-way marketing plan that combines overseas promotion with invitation-only inbound tourism experiences. - Sanya says the approach is helping deepen cultural tourism ties with Central, Eastern European and Central Asian markets.

What happened: - PHOTO SANYA 2026, a FAM trip for Central and Eastern European influencers and travel agents, concluded in Sanya in late June. - The program followed Sanya’s March roadshows in Berlin, Prague and other European cities. - Sanya Tourism Board launched the overseas invitation project after the city’s 2026 marketing debut at ITB Berlin in March. - The invitation trip ran for six days and five nights. - Twelve participants joined the on-site tour. - Participants split into groups and followed three themed itineraries focused on natural scenery, urban culture and gourmet cuisine.

The details: - The itinerary included visits to Nanshan Cultural Tourism Zone, Atlantis Sanya and Sanya Romance Park. - Participants saw Sanya’s ecological resources, ethnic folk culture, resort offerings and Free Trade Port development. - Influencers and travel agents created original content for overseas social media platforms during the trip. - At the “Lens Echoes · Impressions of Sanya” event on June 26, participants presented footage and shared trip memories. - Italian travel influencer Vincenzo Francesco Calabrese said the trip was unforgettable and urged more European tourists to visit Sanya. - Sanya Tourism Board worked with The European Travel Commission on online interactive activities under the China-Europe Urban Cultural Dialogue banner. - Sanya describes that cooperation as the first bespoke official partnership between The European Travel Commission and a standalone tourist destination in China. - The collaboration used the FIA Formula E World Championship in Sanya to support cultural exchange and tourism content sharing. - Sanya also partnered with local travel agencies to launch preferential offers for European markets. - The city says the offers are meant to lower barriers for European travelers and increase two-way tourist flows. - Ctrip International reported that online bookings for trips to Sanya from European source markets rose 172.54% year on year from March to May 2026. - Ctrip International also reported that online tourism spending from those markets rose 151.9% year on year over the same period.

Between the lines: - The program shows Sanya leaning on a closed-loop model: promote abroad, bring visitors in, generate content, then convert attention into bookings. - The European Travel Commission tie-up gives Sanya a stronger institutional signal as it competes for long-haul travelers. - The booking and spending gains suggest the city’s Europe-focused campaign is reaching beyond brand awareness and into commercial demand. - Sanya’s focus on route expansion, product development, cultural exchange and channel sharing points to a longer-term push to make the destination more resilient and less dependent on one visitor base.

What's next: - Sanya Tourism Board says it will keep operating the dual “Going Out – Inviting In” model regularly. - The board plans to expand its global cultural tourism partner network. - Sanya will continue using cultural tourism to support non-governmental exchanges and economic and trade cooperation with foreign markets. - The city aims to strengthen its brand as an internationally known tropical coastal destination.