The words ‘China’ and ‘beach resort’ seldom sit well together. But the Chinese island of Hainan, dubbed the Hawaii of the Orient, is attracting an increasing number of conferences, meetings and incentives visitors who clearly enjoy the island’s warm climate, white-sand beaches and clean air.
The resort city of Sanya on the southern tip of Hainan, 480km from Hong Kong, was little more than a sleepy agricultural backwater a decade ago, with a few hotels offering rest and relaxation to the Beijing elite and Hong Kong expatriates.
Few imagined that the remote city once known as ‘the end of the earth’ would become a popular holiday destination.
Sanya now hosts 2,000 meetings and incentives a year and is home to many grand events, including: the finals of the Miss World pageant; an international triathlon; sailing regattas; a tournament from golf’s Asian Tour; and the world leaders’ Boao Forum for Asia roundtable.
The next stage of the destination’s development sees Sanya in the midst of a ‘Dubai-esque’ hotel expansion, adding a beach option to the busy cultural itineraries in Beijing and Shanghai. Ritz-Carlton, Mandarin Oriental, Banyan Tree, Pullman and Four Points Resorts are all due to open this year.
LOWER PRICES
Although prices are lower than in Beijing or Shanghai, visitors should not expect an authentic Chinese experience or the low prices one would normally associate with the countryside. Resorts can often charge twice the price of those in Malaysia or Thailand.
Se-Hoon Kim, manager of special events department of Amway Korea, who recently held an event for 650 delegates in Sanya, says: “Hainan definitely has the potential to become a leading corporate events destination because of its rich natural environment and numerous tourist destinations that are spread around the island.
“One area for improvement for corporate events in Hainan would probably be the location’s experience in terms of hosting large incentive groups.
“However, the government is working hard to improve on this and supports MICE groups that come into Hainan, which is a very positive sign for future organisations that plan to visit
the destination.”
ISLAND DELIGHTS
With the imminent opening of more luxury resorts, China's only tropical island is set to attract more meetings and incentives business to its welcoming shores. By Kate Nicholson
