THE CHINESE RIVIERA

With long stretches of pristine sandy beaches and year-round sunshine, Hainan is China’s equivalent of the French Riviera, affectionately known to many as the “Cannes of the East”. Sanya, the tropical beach resort city on China’s Hainan Island, is positioned as a luxury travel destination with international appeal, a strong rival to resort locations such as Bali and Phuket.

Increasingly drawing more elite Chinese and overseas holiday makers, the city is gradually moving its travel market upscale, with continued efforts in boosting its luxury tourism sector, which includes the building of an international cruise terminal, world-class yachting marinas and five-star hotels. In 2008, three top international resort brands, Ritz-Carlton, and the Singapore-listed Banyan Tree and Mandarin Oriental, all opened for business in the city.

Recognising the island’s potential as the newest luxury hot-spot, Sanya’s Deputy Mayor Li Boqing said, “We will re-identify the city’s travel market and make a change in the tourism industry development pattern from the low-end toward the upper-end.”