SANYA, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 21 August 2026 – On the evening of August 19, the banquet hall of The Sanya Taikang Tribute Portfolio Resort, was brightly illuminated and filled with youthful energy and the warm spirit of the island. As the opening event of the 2026 Hong Kong and Macao Youth Study Tour and Exchange Program in the Chinese mainland, the "Hainan Night" cultural tourism promotion event, themed "A Young and Joyful Hainan Summer," was held here. More than 200 principals, teachers and student representatives from primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong and Macao, heads of study tour organizations, and representatives from the mainland's cultural tourism sector gathered on the shores of the South China Sea. Through an immersive experience of island culture, they officially kicked off a week-long study tour and exchange program across Hainan. The event was hosted by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports of Hainan Province and the Sanya Municipal People's Government, organized by the cultural tourism authorities of Sanya, Danzhou, Wenchang and Wanning, and co-organized by the Hainan Study Tour and Tourism Association, with support from the Asian Tourism Exchange Center and the World Study Travel Organization. Combining multisensory immersion with interactive scenarios, the event integrated coastal scenery, intangible cultural heritage and study tour resources, offering guests from Hong Kong and Macao a warm cultural tourism welcome featuring distinctive local characteristics and youthful vitality. Immersive Island Welcome and Youthful Celebration Ignite Sanya's Night Upon entering the venue, guests were immediately immersed in the atmosphere of an "Island Wonderland." Coconut palm-inspired installations were arranged along the passageways, while traditional Li brocade patterns added decorative touches. Warm yellow lighting created a relaxed yet vibrant tropical-island ambiance, while guests dressed in traditional Hainan island attire moved throughout the venue, bringing the distinctive charm of Hainan to life. Next to the registration area, a bamboo-pole dance welcome team was already in position. Accompanied by lively Li ethnic percussion music, long bamboo poles opened and closed rhythmically, attracting many young visitors from Hong Kong and Macao to give it a try. At first, some participants were somewhat unfamiliar with the movements, carefully stepping in and out to the beat. After several attempts, however, they quickly found their rhythm. The sound of bamboo poles clacking together blended with the laughter of the young participants, turning the entrance into a sea of joy. The island-themed photo area, intangible cultural heritage experience zone and study tour resources exhibition were also bustling with visitors. Some guests captured their first moments in Hainan against a backdrop of coastal scenery, while others stopped to watch demonstrations of traditional Li instruments, including the nose flute and zhuoba. Many students gathered around the study tour displays, carefully exploring the diverse opportunities available for educational travel in Hainan. At around 6 p.m., the opening dance performance, Come See the Sea, gracefully took the stage. Through fluid movements that mimicked the rise and fall of waves, the dancers condensed the vastness and gentle beauty of the South China Sea into a captivating stage performance. All eyes turned toward the stage, officially opening the event. In her remarks, Wang Hejiao, Deputy Secretary-General of the Hainan Provincial People's Government, noted that in 2025, the number of Hong Kong and Macao study tour participants visiting Hainan exceeded 10,000, with two-way youth exchanges continuing to gain momentum. Since the Free Trade Port's "Riding the Waves Program" was launched in 2023, nearly 30 universities in Hong Kong and Macao have participated, attracting more than 1,500 students. Of these, 200 Hong Kong and Macao university students have completed internships in Hainan. In 2026, another 60 university students from Hong Kong and Macao will come to Hainan for practical training and experience. Generation after generation of young people from Hong Kong and Macao have visited Hainan to experience firsthand the vibrant development of the Hainan Free Trade Port, helping build a strong foundation of friendship and mutual understanding among the three regions. She expressed the hope that participants would explore Hainan's landscapes and allow a shared sense of national identity to grow through firsthand experiences. Tian Zhiqi, Chief Operating Officer for the Asia-Pacific Region of the World Study Travel Organization, said that Hainan has enormous potential in study travel. The organization is actively responding to the needs of the digital economy and people's aspirations for a better life, while following the trend toward carbon peaking and carbon neutrality. It promotes coordinated...