Last year, the island hosted 750,000 overseas tourists, a year-on-year increase of 22 percent. The goal is 880,000 overseas tourists this year.

Despite the rapid growth of tourist numbers, tourism authorities admit there is still a long way to go for the island to become a world-class tourist destination.

"Due to a late start and poor foundation, Hainan's tourism management level and matching environment currently still lag behind those of famous hotspots such as Hawaii and Phuket," says Chen Yao.

The management, personnel, and overall environment still need to be improved in order to reach international standards, he says.

Hainan has about 7,000 tourist guides, but only 600 of them can speak foreign languages.

The tourist guide management center of Sanya said more guides are now busy receiving foreign language training programs.

"Hainan will strive for more opening in exit and entry and aviation rights policies, and flexibility in tourism project approvals, to attract more overseas tourists," says Hainan's Communist Party chief Wei Liucheng.

Chi Fulin, China (Hainan) Institute for Reform and Development's executive president, says it is a right time for Hainan to internationalize its tourism industry.

"Tourism has become one of the fastest growing industries in the world. And China has said it will be the world's largest tourist destination by 2020. Tourism will gain more government support."

For Hainan, its own distinctive resource, improved infrastructure and management, have provided a historical opportunity for the construction of an "international tourist island", Chi says.