The launch of the Haixia, a high-speed passenger ferry sailing between Pingtan in Fujian and Taichung in Taiwan, has boosted Pingtan's tourism, according to the ferry's owners.

"As an island with beaches and sea, Pingtan has become a hot transfer stop for people to travel to Taiwan," said Yang Cheng, vice-general manager of Haixia High-Speed Passenger Shipping Ltd Co, on May 9.

"It's the Haixia's 456th voyage. It has transported roughly 150,000 people," he said.

The boom of Pingtan's tourism is attributed to its unique natural beauty. Pingtan boasts a fabulous 70 kilometer stretch of beach and eight State-level scenic spots. In addition, the county is also sparing no efforts in infrastructure construction and development of a comprehensive cultural tourism zone in a bid to open a new tourist route that connects all the scenic spots in the county.

More and more tourists from Taiwan choose to spend holidays in Pingtan, making the Haixia a crucial transport medium. In the first year of operations (from November 2011 to November 2012), the Haixia transported more than 100,000 tourists and received more than 3,000 tour groups. Some 60 travel agencies cooperated with the ferry during the span.

The prosperous tourism market also attracted a big chunk of investment to Pingtan. Recreational activities such as kitesurfing events, sand sculpture festivals and Taiwan food festivals are held here every year, appealing to a lot of tourists.

Confident in Pingtan's ecological environment, Yang said the Haixia will strive to provide more services for cross-Straits tourism and communication.