Medical tourism becoming new calling card for Hainan

With its unique tropical island climate and growing number of inbound tourists, as well as the continuous improvement of medical and healthcare facilities, Hainan province is making medical tourism a new business calling card.   

The island province has been attaching great importance to the medical tourism industry in recent years. As it has accelerated its medical and healthcare tourism construction, more and more tourists from home and abroad are coming to Hainan to try its tourism products like hot spring spas and special massages with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).  

Apart from beautiful seas and beaches, the island also boasts six hot springs resorts, which have become must-go destinations for many tourists while travelling to Hainan.

The Xinglong Hot Springs Resort is the very first of its kind developed for tourists in Hainan. The temperature of the springs remains at 60 C all year round and the water contains a variety of mineral elements which are considered to be very beneficial to the human body, possessing auxiliary therapeutic effects on skin diseases, arthritis, and neurasthenia. The resort also offers visitors a chance to enjoy distinctive food and cultures of Southeast Asia. 

An aerial view of Hainan Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone. [Photo by Yuan Chen/Hainan Daily]　

In addition to relaxing in the hot springs of Hainan, visitors can also access international advanced medical technologies, equipment, and medicines in the South China province.

On Feb 28, the State Council approved the construction of Hainan Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone, a world-leading green city project integrating medical services, pharmaceuticals, scientific research, rehabilitation, senior care, and tourism. It also rolled out nine supporting policies for the project, which has now fostered four industrial clusters in stem cell clinic research, tumor treatments, medical cosmetology and anti-aging, as well as assisted reproduction. 

In recent years, the number of Russian tourists attracted to Hainan's medical tourism has increased year by year. About 80 percent of Russian tourists to Hainan will go to a TCM rehabilitation center for physical therapy. In Sanya, the most popular Chinese medical care products for them are acupuncture, TCM massage, and fumigation.

Foreign visitors experience TCM massage in Sanya. [Photo by Wu Wei/Hainan Daily]