Beyond the beaches

Tourism industry flourishes as range of activities drawsvisitors, writes Keith ChanLate last month, the World's Strongest Man competition returned to Sanya, seven years after the last contest was held in the city in 2006.迷你倉 And earlier this month, hundreds of couples from all over China gathered for the Sanya Destination Wedding Expo, meeting with more than 100 wedding organisers and service providers. These are just two recent examples that the seaside city has much more to offer than just beaches and resorts.Tang Sixian, deputy director of the Sanya Tourism Development Commission, says the uniqueness of Sanya is that while it is primarily a beach destination, it offers a variety of attractions to suit different types of visitors. "For example, Sanya is facing the ocean, where people can engage in all kinds of water activities such as yachting and snorkelling. It has tropical forests and highlands, where people can go hiking or exploring. With its mild climate and beautiful scenery, it's an ideal destination for a honeymoon, a wedding or for simply enjoying a relaxing holiday with the whole family," Tang says."For MICE [meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions] groups, Sanya's large collection of resorts and hotels can meet the needs of events of any size."The diversity of travel products and services in Sanya is a result of the city governmemini storaget's strategy of driving economic growth by developing tourism. Over the past 10 years, the government has invested heavily in developing the infrastructure to support tourism growth, and to promote Sanya as a travel destination within China and overseas.One example is Haitang Bay, which in less than three years has transformed from a quiet village into a showcase of luxury hotel brands. The city will also have Asia's largest duty-free shopping complex, which is set to open in December.Last year, the tourism industry in Sanya was relatively stable despite uncertainty in the global economy. According to government statistics, Sanya received 11.02 million overnight visitors last year, up 8 per cent from 2011. The growth was driven by an increase in domestic visitors, up 8.9 per cent to account for 10.54 million, or nearly 96 per cent of the total. The city's tourism revenue was up 11 per cent last year to 19.2 billion yuan (HK$24.2 billion). Of the total, 17.5 billion yuan was derived from domestic visitors.Quick factsCity SanyaPopulation 581,400 (2011)Total area 1,919 square kilometresKEY INDICATORS, 2012GDP 33.08 billion yuan (HK$41.7 billion)Fixed asset investment 43 billion yuanRetail sales of consumer products 10.4 billion yuanPer capita disposable income of urban residents 23,295 yuanOvernight visitors 11.02 millionTourism revenue 19.2 billion yuanself storage