Leading global real estate consultancy opens Hainan branch

Savills, the world's leading real estate consultancy company listed on the London Stock Exchange, announced the launch of its 17th China branch on Friday in Haikou, the capital of the country's southernmost Hainan province, to explore the market on the tropical island.

Robert McKellar, executive chairman of Savills Asia Pacific, said Savills Hainan will focus on property and asset management services, project development consultancy, hotel development and investment brokerage.

"Hainan being a well-known international tourism island with the central government's determination to establish the world's largest free trade zone, I strongly believe there are many untapped opportunities in Hainan where Savills can work with different enterprises to better enter the island market," he said.

The UK company entered the China market in the late 1990s and now operates in major cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Chengdu.

More and more overseas companies are starting operations in Hainan, as the island has taken a large number of measures aimed at making solid progress in building the China (Hainan) Pilot Free Trade Zone and a free trade port with Chinese characteristics, as well as exploring a new open economic system.

The central government announced in April plans to transform the entire island of Hainan into the country's 12th FTZ, covering 35,400 square kilometers, an area 32 times the size of Hong Kong.