Singer Charlie Puth to launch his Asia tour in Haikou

Following US rapper Kanye West's successful performances in Haikou in September, American singer-songwriter Charlie Puth has officially announced the Asian debut of his tour, with Haikou as the first stop.

The concert is set to take place on Nov 21 at the Wuyuan River Sports Stadium, marking the only "stadium-level" performance for Puth on this tour.

Entertainment companies are currently in discussions to bring exclusive concerts by Canadian singer The Weeknd and American rapper Travis Scott to Haikou, said Wang Zhongyun, deputy director of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports of Hainan Province, during a press conference on Wednesday.

"With the differentiated development path of deep integration of culture and tourism in Haikou, we are confident in transforming the city into a new hub for international cultural exchange and performances," said Wang Ke, director of Haikou's bureau of tourism, culture, radio, television, and sports.

The "concert economy" has emerged as a new driver for promoting consumption, with various regions vying for the title of the "capital of performing arts". Multiple incentive policies have been adopted to encourage market entities to introduce and invest in large-scale artistic performances, as well as strengthening the linkage between culture, sports, tourism, and commerce.

In Hainan, for large-scale concerts and music festivals where the proportion of off-island audiences exceeds 50 percent, a one-time reward of up to 3 million yuan ($424,520) will be granted.

Kanye West's "Vultures Listening Experience World Tour Listening Party - Haikou Station" had the majority of its audience coming from outside Hainan. The ticket sales revenue for the event was the highest on the tour, with the first show on Sept 15 alone generating 51 million yuan, which was equivalent to the combined revenue of his shows in Chicago, New York, Paris, and Phoenix.

Additionally, performance brokerage services and the tourism and performing arts are classified as preferred industries in the Hainan Free Trade Port. Enterprises engaged in substantial operations in Hainan can enjoy a 15-percent preferential corporate income tax rate.

Starting from Feb 9, citizens from 59 eligible countries are allowed to enter Hainan visa-free for purposes such as business, travel, family reunions, medical treatment, exhibitions, and sports competitions for a stay of up to 30 days. This benefits performing artists from visa-exempt countries, enabling them to quickly access Hainan and move between tour locations.