South China's Hainan province has opened and re-launched eight international air routes by the end of April, increasing the total number of international air routes up to 60.

As a famous tropical resort for overseas tourists, Hainan island has made efforts to expand the connection with five key inbound tourist source markets during the first quarter, according to the Hainan Tourism Development Commission.

The increase of flights is expected to raise the number of international tourists, as it can largely shorten travel time and save costs.

Official figures show that the number of overseas tourists to Hainan reached 257,300 in the first quarter, up 48.5 percent year-on-year.

And foreign exchange earnings also increased 116.7 percent to $154 million during the same period.

Experts believe the government's supports and international direct flights enable companies to lower prices while providing better services, which gives Hainan big advantages in the market.

In the next step, Hainan is to see more international direct flights, improve services according to the international standards and renovate key areas with international elements.