Hainan plans yachting destination towns

Hainan will build eight towns as yachting destinations along its coast areas by 2025, aiming to build the tropical island into a first-class yacht destination in China, according to the Sea Defense and Port Office of Hainan province.

Layout for the very first yachting town, located in the island's western coast of Lingao county, is being discussed and improved.

A suggestion on promoting the construction of yachting towns was released in June by provincial authorities.

It said Hainan will boost development of yachting tourism and yachting industry that includes designing, manufacturing and repair services, with a target growth of 300 percent compared with figures of 2018. Yachting tourism is expected to contribute 10 percent to the annual tourism revenue in 2025.

"Research reports show $1 in input on yachting business can bring $10 in economic benefit," said Li Guocheng, secretary general of the Product Circulation Special Committee under the China Association of Poverty Alleviation and Development.

Li believed the construction of the yacht feature town in Lingao county will promote local employment and help reduce poverty.

By November 2017, a total of eight yacht manufacturing enterprises had been established in Hainan, with 271 companies providing yachting service and sales business, and 39 yacht clubs according to official statistics.

To date, Hainan has 14 yacht ports and 1,800 berths, with another 1,900 under construction. It has 800 registered yachts, ranking top in terms of registered yachts and number of visits of foreign yachts to China.

Hainan, an island that possesses 1,944.35 kilometers of coastline, is blessed with 68 natural bays. As the country's only tropical island, Hainan is a paradise for yacht tourism and sailing sports.