TE24 International Desk:
More than 80,000 tourists are stranded in a resort town known as the “Hawaii of China” after authorities imposed strict travel restrictions due to the Covid-19 outbreak. Yao, a city of more than one million people in southern Hainan, has reported 483 Covid cases as of Sunday.
All flights from the city have been canceled over the weekend and authorities have also stopped selling train tickets. Health officials said tourists wishing to leave the country must undergo five negative PCR tests within seven days.
In a press conference on Saturday, hotels in the city were asked to offer a 50% discount to their guests until travel restrictions are eased.
China is the only major economy still sticking to a zero-coronavirus strategy of rapid lockdowns, prolonged quarantines and a hit to local tourism.
The latest Covid outbreak occurred during peak tourist season in Sanya, a popular surfing spot.
All entertainment venues, including spas, karaoke bars and pubs, have been closed since last week, but essential services such as supermarkets and pharmacies remain open. Borders have also been largely closed since early 2020.
