Tens and thousands of tourists flocked the beach town of Sanya, also known as “China’s Hawaii” to escape brutal lockdowns for a much-needed getaway only to be stranded there as coronavirus cases spiralled.
A popular destination for Chinese families, Sanya is known for its sandy beaches and duty-free shopping. Now, it has turned into a lockdown zone as authorities cancelled all trains and flights after 263 cases were reported on Saturday, stranding over 80,000 tourists. As of Monday, Sanya recorded over 500 cases.
Five negative RT-PCR tests over seven days is mandatory for every traveler before they are allowed to leave. The strict rule is owed to China’s “zero Covid” policy – the only major economy to still implement it. China has also been criticized for its extremely rigid lockdowns – especially Shanghai – that emerged from a two-month lockdown recently.
These restrictions come during peak tourism season in the popular destination.
Sanya is home to a million people and is the capital of Hainan province, off China’s southern coast. As cases drastically rose in the last few days, authorities launched severe steps to curb the spread. Mass testing was ordered across the city and all outdoor activities such as bars and restaurants were shut on Saturday. A sub-variant of the highly infectious Omicron strain is reportedly the reason behind the fresh outbreak.
Public transportation has also been halted and even a number of people who had reportedly boarded a plane on Saturday were asked to deboard leading to chaotic scenes at the airport.
Various videos circulating on social media show desperate tourists trying to leave. Many even alleged that the prices at the hotels have been jacked up although authorities claim that they have asked hotels to give a 50 per cent discount till restrictions are in place.
There are strict rules in several other Chinese cities like Haikou and Yiwu as well after a Covid spike.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
