Yachting sails to forefront of development in Sanya

The typical calm, balmy bays of Hainan province's Sanya have been bustling this winter. There have even been the occasional yacht traffic jams, as more and more travelers make their way to the tropical island to enjoy its increasingly diversified entertainment offerings.

"All our yachts were booked in advance between Jan 31 and Feb 6, the traditional Chinese Spring Festival. Even now, tourists have to line up for about an hour to take a cruise or do wake surfing at some of the more beautiful bays, like Queen's Bay and Lover's Bay, which are popular areas for water sports," said Zuo Zhiyong, deputy secretary-general of the Sanya Yachting Association.

The coastal resort city at the southern tip of Hainan island saw 87,200 people take 12,345 yacht cruises during the two-week Spring Festival period, with many trying wake surfing for the first time, Zuo said.

"Tourists are keeping the trend alive after the festival," said Huang Weidong, marketing director of the Wuzhizhou Island Scenic Spot in Sanya, adding that wake surfing was fully booked every day in the popular zone.

Vacationers also sought out the thrill of diving in the resort city, which boasts crystalline seas.

"The wake surfing here was very exciting, and diving into clear water to explore the marine environment, all the lively, colorful fish and beautiful coral, was an unforgettable experience," said Ding Longqiang, a visitor from North China's Shanxi province.

"We came for the sea, and my family especially enjoyed the water sports."

The superb sea and year-round mild climate have made Sanya an ideal place to develop cruise and yacht tourism, industry insiders said.

"Sailboats and yachts used to be luxuries for people with extravagant lifestyles, but in recent years, the cruise and yacht industry has developed rapidly in Sanya, and sailing has become something that most people can afford and would enjoy," said Chen Xiaoyu, a manager at the Sanya Banshan Peninsula Sailing Port.

The landmark port has served as a stopover for notable international ocean races, including the Volvo Ocean Race and the Clipper Round the World Race.

The city has more than 900 registered yachts, accounting for more than half of the island's total. In 2021, 300 new boats were registered, more than double that of 2020.

Also last year, over 1 million passengers took cruises in Sanya, accounting for more than 90 percent of all cruises in Hainan, according to the local yacht association.

Being part of the central government's master plan to build Hainan into a globally influential free trade port by the middle of the century, the development of a yachting industry lies at the top of the province's agenda. To that end, a slew of promotional policies and measures have been introduced, creating unprecedented opportunities for domestic and foreign investors, according to local officials.

French yacht captain Godfrey Zwygart said that he sees huge potential for yacht tourism in China, especially in Hainan, over the next 10 years.

"The younger generation cares more about quality holidays and a diverse lifestyle, and will spend generously on marine leisure products," said Zwygart, who has spent more than 10 years helping develop the yacht industry in Sanya.

He said that the zero-tariff policy on yachting products issued by the central government for the Hainan Free Trade Port will greatly reduce the cost of imports and added that he believes this policy will help Sanya grow into a great yacht resort city, given its location, climate, environmental and marine resources.

Sanya's government has issued detailed plans for the use of sea areas, as well as measures promoting water tourism to ensure the high-quality development of marine tourism, said officials with the Sanya Central Business District, a key industrial park in the Hainan FTP, which is focused on cruise and yacht development.

Aiming to become a major hub for yacht trading, spending and green technology development for the Asia Pacific region, Sanya is making great efforts to develop key projects, including the Sanya International Yacht Center, the Nanbianhai International Yacht Wharf and the Sanya Yacht Innovation Service Complex, according to the CBD administration.

Its data shows that the Sanya CDB has attracted 80 companies, including Omnia Marine, Simpson Marine, Moonocean, CTG Cruise and Blue Dream Cruises, which are engaged in the sales, brokerage and services of yachts and cruises, as well as the promotion of marine leisure tourism.