Over 80,000 tourists trapped in ‘China’s Hawaii’ after Covid outbreak
India Today
A whopping 80,000 tourists have been left stranded on a beautiful island dubbed 'China's Hawaii' after a Covid outbreak sparked a strict lockdown.
Over 80,000 tourists are stranded in a resort city popularly known as "China's Hawaii" after a Covid-19 flare-up led authorities to impose strict travel restrictions.
Tourism hotspot Sanya is a city of more than a million people on the southern island of Hainan, where 483 Covid-19 cases were reported on Sunday (Aug 7).
All flights out of the city were cancelled over the weekend, with authorities also halting train ticket sales.
Tourists who want to leave must test negative in five polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests over seven days, health authorities said.
Hotels in the city have been asked to offer guests a 50 per cent discount until the travel restrictions ease, an official said during a news briefing on Saturday.
China is the only major economy still holding fast to a zero-Covid-19 strategy with snap lockdowns and long quarantines, battering local tourism.
The country's borders have also remained largely closed since early 2020, halting international tourism.
