Kota Kinabalu: The first direct flight from Kota Kinabalu to Haikou, the capital of Hainan province in China, will be launched on Christmas Eve (Dec 24).
The new route, which offers a shorter travel time, will provide more convenience for travellers from both countries, particularly for “homecoming visit” tour programmes, said Hainan Nanyang International Travel charter operator General Manager Guan Xuehei.
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“The launch of the route will not only make it easier for elderly overseas Chinese to return to their ancestral homeland for family visits, but will also allow tourists to experience shared cultural roots expressed in diverse and vibrant ways at the destination,” he said during a courtesy call on Sabah Hainan Association Deputy President Kapitan Dr Chan Kai Lee and committee members, led by Exotic Asian Explorer Managing Director Pamela Tseu.
Also present was Guan’s assistant, Wang Jinglei.
The opening of the Kota Kinabalu-Haikou direct route will also attract more visitors from Hainan to Sabah, thereby fostering deeper interaction and cooperation in tourism, cultural and economic exchanges between both sides, he said.
Hainan is well known as a winter escape destination, leveraging its climatic advantages to attract high-end travellers from around the world, as many of its beach destinations operate year-round, he said.
Visitors can enjoy a rich variety of cuisine, including the famous Hainanese chicken rice, which has become a national dish in Singapore and parts of Southeast Asia but originates from Hainan, he said.
He added that Wenchang chicken, Jiaji duck, Dongshan mutton and Hele crab are the four must-try signature dishes of the island.
Key attractions in Hainan include Binglanggu, the Nanshan Buddhist Cultural Zone, Sanya Eternal Love, the integrated tourism resort Ocean Flower Island, and helicopter flight experiences, among others, he said.
