According to the Hainan Ribao newspaper, cooperation between government agencies and businesses has become a key incentive for the development of an air transportation network in the Hainan Free Trade Port. This format provides additional opportunities to expand the duty-free market and increase the flow of foreign tourists.
The fifth freedom of the air regime plays an important role, allowing airlines to accept cargo from third countries and provide more convenient routes for passengers. The new Tbilisi–Haikou– Milan flight became the first "duty-free express route", which shortened the delivery time of goods and increased the efficiency of cross-border logistics. At the same time, an e-commerce distribution center for return cargo flows is being developed in the province.
As representatives of Hainan airports noted, the new routes provide direct access to key hubs in Europe and the Middle East. Since the beginning of the year, flights to Paris, Rome, Tel Aviv and other cities have been launched in Haikou and Sanya, which allows the island to become a transcontinental transit center. The authorities expect that in the future the network will cover not only Asia, but also Africa and North America.
