Sanya Embraces Boating
by Suzy Rayment, Asia Yacht Press 28 Aug 2020 07:55 BST
Stuart Hu Ziaoming, Hainan Provincial Bureau of Economic Development © Guy Nowell
The Sanya Central Business District Administration is focusing on new ways to promote boating in China. An International Yacht Exchange Centre has been set up to educate a new audience on the joys boating, especially around the tropical resort island of Hainan.
Hainan International Economic Development Bureau (Hainan IEDB) is a government agency established by the Hainan government last year. Its aim is to build Hainan as a Free Trade Port in all respects, with distinctive Chinese features. “The marine industry (cruise and yachts) is one of the most important industries in Hainan Free Trade Port, says Ruslan Tulenov, Global Media Officer, Hainan Provincial Bureau of Economic Development. “The aim is to build an up-to-date industrial zone with full commercial, trade, and financial services, especially slanted towards marine services as its leading industries, and with professional services and cultural/leisure services as its supporting industries, and including both international and domestic tourism.”
Hainan will encourage international cruise lines to set up international settlement and operation centres, and support yacht companies setting up of regional headquarters, and encourage yacht companies to establish research and development (R&D), production, sales, service and maintenance bases on the island.
“The Sanya Central Business District (SYCBD) is one of the 11 key developments supporting the construction of a free trade port (zone) in Hainan Province” say Hu Ziaoming, who is heading up the project for the new Yacht Exchange Centre. Hu’s aim is to eliminate the obstacles that currently stand in the way of developing boating in the region. The list of services that will be provided to leisure marine industry consumers will includes leasing, insurance, brokerage and charter. "Thanks to this, it will be possible to concentrate and make all the necessary resources more accessible and available, and increase the scale of economic activity, so that resources will be used more efficiently," says Hu.
According to official figures, there are 850 yacht berths in the port of Sanya, as well as about 100 companies that charter recreational boats. In 2019, charter operators organised thousands of charter trips for more than 780,000 visitors. At the beginning of 2020, the government also approved a project to create an artificial island in the area of Wenchang in the northeast of the Hainan province, with an area of 26 hectares. It will become a centre for sea tourism and water sports. Owners of sports or amateur boats will be able to anchor there, and all those interested can rent a yacht.