HAIKOU, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- The China International Travel Mart 2025, organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, kicked off Friday in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province.

It is the first time that this event has been held in the province.

The three-day fair has attracted more than 1,000 business operators and representatives from 101 countries and regions, according to the organizers.

Covering an exhibition area of 65,000 square meters, the fair features five sections, focusing respectively on domestic tourism, overseas tourism, inbound tourist consumption, cultural-tourism integration, and a dedicated section promoting tourism in Hainan.

China on Thursday launched island-wide special customs operations in the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP), the world's largest FTP by area, allowing freer entry of overseas goods, expanding zero-tariff coverage, and introducing more business-friendly measures.

The move is widely seen as a landmark in China's efforts to promote free trade and expand high-standard opening up amid rising protectionism worldwide.

In addition, China has continually expanded its visa-free travel policies for foreign visitors. Tourists from 76 countries now enjoy unilateral or mutual visa-free entry, with transit exemptions expanded to 55 countries.

Official data showed that visa-free entries accounted for over 7 million foreign arrivals in the third quarter of this year, marking a 48.3 percent year-on-year increase. ■