Footprints in the sand and money in your wallet

Hainan province is famous for its beautiful beaches and dutyfree shopping. [Photo By Liu Zhihua / China Daily]

The improved duty-free shopping is just one of many measures Hainan has taken to transform itself into an international destination.

By 2020 the island province aims to attract more than 80 million tourists, including 1.2 million from overseas, and total tourism revenue is projected to surpass 100 billion yuan.

The number of tourists who spent at least a night in Sanya reached 15 million last year, the local government says.

The government has also developed sea tours along the eastern line of the province, forest-themed trips in the middle and port and industry outings in the west, Wang says.

More road trips will be launched as Hainan develops camp sites for self-drive tourists, a concept that is now being developed.

China's biggest caravan and camping forum will be held in the province in September and is expected to draw many self-drive associations from around the country to look at what Hainan has to offer, Wang says.

A total of 100 industry towns and 1,000 distinctive villages will be established over 2016-2020 to woo Chinese tourists.

The town of Huiwen, for instance, has attracted many visitors for its handmade wooden Buddhism beads and has pulled in several hundred million of yuan annually.

"Tourists find it fascinating to see local households use small equipment to make the beads," Wang says.

Local food is also offered at major events, such as the Boao Forum, to enable guests worldwide to savor the flavors of Hainan.

Qilou Old Street in Haikou has brought together 100 restaurants that offer practically all distinctive local cuisines and it has become a tourist magnet.

Sanya's priority is developing its tourism, says Li Boqing, deputy mayor of the city.

At the first annual Hainan International Tourism Trade Expo, held in Sanya on March 26, agreements on 71 tourism-related projects worth 13.2 billion yuan investments were signed. As part of the expo, a duty-free goods fair at which nearly 200 international brands were represented was held.

Companies from India, Italy, France, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Poland, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam took park in the weeklong event, hosted by the local city and provincial governments, the central Commerce Ministry and the national body China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.

Well-known artists from home and abroad were invited, the aim being to raise the expo's profile among art lovers.

"The aim is to strengthen communication with the international community and encourage more visits from abroad with better services," says Li.

At the expo, many tourism operators displayed their offerings, while seeking potential business collaboration.

The aviation operator Meiya Air Co, which offers sightseeing tours and flight training in Hainan, plans to triple its fleet this year, acquiring four new seaplanes to cater to increasing demand, says Xu Yan, the company's key account manager.

It has about 3,000 customers a year, she says.