Tourism:Island Paradise Throws Gates Open

PAGE 6 CHINA DAILY EUROPEAN WEEKLY JULY 17-23, 2015 Cover story Tourism: Island paradise throws gates open FROM PAGE 1 Hainan, however, faces a tough challenge attracting international tourists. Last year, only 650,000, or 1.4 percent, of its 47.89 million visi- tors came from outside China. The island is partly handicapped by its own success. Many wealthy Chi- nese have multimillion-dollar second homes and their yachts moored in Sanya, Hainan’s main resort, which has become a playground of the rich. At certain times of the year, partic- ularly Chinese New Year, hotel room rates can skyrocket in the resort, with the starting price for a week’s accom- modation often not leaving much change from 50,000 yuan ($8,050; 7,300 euros). This can make an expensive destination compared with established resorts in Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines, which are also more international. Luo Baoming, the top Party o - cial in Hainan, is keen to take on the challenge. “To build Hainan into a world-class specialist tourist zone is vital for the province to participate in the Belt and Road Initiative,” he says. “Tourism is the bridge for promot- ing friendship and cultural exchang- es. It is the essential platform for us to be positioned on the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.” Hainan has certainly made huge strides as a tourism center. In 1988, Phoenix Island in Sanya will soon have a 7-star hotel. HUANG YIMING / CHINA DAILY it just had 1.2 million tourists, with 204,600 from outside China. International tourists hit a peak of 1 million in 2008 when the overall total number of tourists was 20 million, less than half the current total. The number of domestic tourists to the island continues to increase at a much faster rate than those from abroad. Yet a number of policies are in place to attract more international tourists, including visa-free entry for up to 15 days for tour groups of more than fi ve from 26 specifi ed countries. One of the problems for the Hainan government is that it only has a limited annual tourism adver- tising budget of $2 million (1.81 million euros) — excluding what the cit- Zhou Chunhua, director of the Sanya Lily Chen, marketing manager of Li Li, deputy general manager of the Colin Cheng Wen Thay, owner of the ies spend — and this also has been Tourism Development Commission Sanya Visun Royal Yacht Club Sanya Phoenix Island Investment Group Xinglong Tropical Garden squeezed in recent years. The local government has been manager of Wendy Wu Tours UK, the ing for alternative destinations after meter Phoenix Island certainly able to take even the world’s largest working with the BBC to build a leading China specialist tour opera- the terrorist attack on a beach near resembles The Palm and other recla- cruise ships. It already had the Queen special Hainan webpage, which is tor, does believe some of this market- Sousse in Tunisia on June 26, which mation developments in the emirate Mary II visit during this year’s Spring updated twice a month. It also coop- ing is paying o . killed 38. city, and it designed by the Chinese Festival. erates similarly with TripAdvisor, the “It (Hainan) is defi nitely becoming “Traditionally, the Mediterranean architect Ma Yansong. Cruise liners stop o at Sanya after world’s largest travel site. a bit more prominent in the UK. They has always been popular, but it has Li Li, deputy general manager of Hong Kong en route to Vietnam, but In addition, it places billboard ads (Hainan tourism o cials) have been been susceptible to problems of late. the Sanya Phoenix Island Invest- there are only likely to be 33 visits in the baggage reclaim areas of air- a little bit more proactive in terms of Sadly, the whole of north Africa is ment Group, which plans to invest a this year, compared with 113 in 2013, ports in key target countries such attending trade shows,” he says. not great. The UK foreign office is further 17.6 billion yuan in the area, because of concerns by operators as Russia, Australia, Thailand and “I think there is a big awareness advising none but essential travel to says she believes Sanya will be fi rmly about territorial disputes in the area. South Korea. problem about Hainan generally. Not Tunisia. There have been problems on the international map within 10 Zhou Chunhua, director of the At a restaurant in the center of many people know of it. It is defi- in Egypt, and even Turkey is having years. Sanya Tourism Development Com- Haikou, Chen Tiejun, deputy direc- nitely important for them to get tour a tough time because people see it “I can see it being like Dubai as a mission, speaking in a 28th-floor tor-general of the Hainan Tourism operators on board to help them pro- being near Syria. So new destinations place where celebrities such as David executive apartment overlooking the Development Commission, admits it mote their messages.” are going to need to open up.” Beckham have homes and also a azure blue bay, says the key to popu- is a challenge. Ed Robertson, consulting editor One resort city that could be a center for international fi lm festivals larizing Sanya among foreign tourists “We have to make better use of the of the Travel Trade Gazette, a lead- magnet for international tourists is such as Cannes,” she says. are cruise ships. money we have. We are also actually ing travel trade magazine, believes Sanya. Key to the success of the develop- “A cruise ship can stop for seven or adjusting our strategy by doing more Hainan might have chosen the right Some are confident it has the ment is making Sanya an established eight hours and people can visit the online marketing, which is more time to promote itself as an interna- potential to be the Dubai or Miami international cruise destination. city. When they go home they can tell cost-e ective,” he says. tional tourism destination. of the South China Sea. By the end of next year it will have people about Sanya,” she says. In London, Ben Briggs, marketing Many European tourists are look- Sanya’s man-made 365,000 square- a 225,000 tonnage berth that will be >> PAGE 7.

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