REGIONAL> Development
China's "Gold Coast" to be "Paradise Resort"
By Wang Qian (China Daily Shandong Bureau)
Updated: 2009-05-21 18:11

Haiyang, a city in East China's Shandong province, is putting in great efforts to create the tourism brand: "Gold Coast, Paradise Resort".

Recognized as a "China Excellent Tourism City", Haiyang will use the 2012 Asian Beach Games as an opportunity to raise its tourism profile.

A series of sporting events, including the Beach Marathon and the National Beach Volleyball Tournament will be held, which are expected to boost the city's tourism development.

According to Sun Dongming, director of the Haiyang Tourism Administration, 22 large-scale tourist projects with a total investment of more than 8 billion yuan are being constructed to enhance the city's tourism capabilities.

Haiyang is home to rich tourism resources, including Zhaohushan National Forest Park, a 230 kilometer-long coastline, and its famous golden beach, which is over 20 kilometers-long.

The city's 33.5 percent forest coverage and 42.5 percent green coverage in Haiyang's urban areas have greatly contributed to the sustainable development of the city's tourism.

With the construction of the Haiyang-Jimo cross-sea bridge and the Yantai-Haiyang expressway, Haiyang is on its way to joining the tourism golden triangle of Shandong Peninsula.