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After COVID-19 outbreak, more than 80,000 tourists trapped in Chinese resort city of Sanya

After COVID-19 outbreak, more than 80,000 tourists trapped in Chinese resort city of Sanya

Coroonavirus in Hainan

Following a Covid-19 flare-up led authorities to impose strict travel restrictions, more than 80,000 tourists are stranded in a resort city popularly known as "China's Hawaii".

Located on the southern island of Hainan, tourism hotspot Sanya is a city of more than a million people.

With authorities halting train ticket sales, all flights out of the city were cancelled over the weekend after Hainan reported 483 cases.

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According to Chinese health authorities, tourists who want to leave must test negative in five polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests over seven days.

A Chinese official said during a news briefing that hotels in the city have been asked to offer guests a 50 per cent discount until the travel restrictions ease.

Currently, only essential services such as supermarkets and pharmacies remain open in Sanya which is a popular surfing spot.

Battering local tourism, China is the only major economy still holding fast to a zero-Covid-19 strategy with snap lockdowns and long quarantines.

Halting international tourism, the country's borders have also remained largely closed since early 2020.

(With inputs from agencies)

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