SANYA, China, Jan. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Orange Lion Sports (formerly Alibaba Sports), a global sports event operator, is redefining how major athletic competitions and tourism converge through the coordinated integration of digital platforms and consumer services. The recent 2025 Hainan (Sanya) Marathon, supported by the company, showcased an "event-as-journey" experience that delivered a professionally operated, high-quality racing platform while supporting measurable economic growth for the host city. The marathon saw hotel occupancy in Sanya soar to 92%, with a notable 35% surge in spending at local businesses along the race route, establishing a promising blueprint for the scalable "racecation" model.
"We are committed to creating lasting value for athletes and sports enthusiasts," said Yang Yong, General Manager of Events and Commercialization at event partner Orange Lion Sports. "We activated resources across the Alibaba ecosystem, including Taobao, Fliggy, Alibaba Health, Ant Chain, and Amap, to extend engagement beyond race day. This approach attracted runners from across Hainan, other parts of China, and overseas, while encouraging additional event-related spending."
The provincial tourism and sports department has introduced funding incentives for 2026 sports events to attract national and international competitions. Orange Lion Sports has demonstrated how large-scale events can generate sustained economic activity and benefit local businesses by digitally integrating dining, lodging, transportation, entertainment, and shopping. In partnership with Taobao, the company launched a "Winter Warm-up Festival" that distributed tailored promotional vouchers and offers ahead of the event, designed to connect race participation with consumer engagement by introducing regional culinary specialties such as fermented vinegar hot pot and traditional Li-Miao cuisine to runners across China.
The economic benefits were sustained beyond the race period. According to Fliggy data, hotel bookings in Sanya began rising steadily from late October 2025, when event promotions launched, and remained strong throughout the marathon period. The momentum extended beyond the race, coinciding with the New Year holiday travel period. Data from the Sanya tourism bureau shows that during the 2026 New Year holiday, the city welcomed 650,800 visitor arrivals, with tourism revenue of 1.299 billion yuan (approx. US$186 million) generated, illustrating the role of the "racecation" model in supporting tourism demand.
In the future, Orange Lion Sports will harness AI technology to enhance sports events and promote fitness for all, in line with their assertion at CES in 2017: AI is the future of sports development.
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