Boao Forum first of two April events to promote "Hawaii of the Far East"

Developing Hainan into an international tourist island will be a focus of this year's Boao Forum for Asia.

The event started in 2002 and is held annually in Boao, Hainan province, for discussions between government officials, business leaders and experts from Asia and other continents.

The 10 national leaders scheduled to attend this year's forum, held from April 8 to 11, include Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Prime Minister of South Korea Chung Hongwon.

Event organizers said the local government wants to use the forum to promote its development and attract more international tourists.

Of the forum's 13 events the most significant for the Hainan government will be an agreement with the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council on using the office's overseas resources and networks to promote Hainan to international tourists.

Hainan is the youngest province in China.

The island was separated from Guangdong and became an independent province and a special economic zone in 1988.

Opening up in 1992, Hainan achieved immediate success in introducing overseas funds that year and attracted 1,830 international business investors, including Yamaha from Japan, Hong Kong Construction (Holdings) Ltd and South Korea's Samsung Motors.

The Yangpu Economic Development Zone, also founded in 1992, was the first industry zone in Hainan and one of the earliest in China.

Since then more industrial zones have been set up in the province, including the Haikou Comprehensive Bonded Area and Sanya Bay National Tourism Resort Area.

Tourism is now a pillar of the island's economy and looks to strengthen further after plans to build an international tourist island were approved by the State Council in 2010.

As well as the Boao Forum the island province is due to host a second international event this month to boost tourism.

The World Travel & Tourism Council's 14th annual global summit will be held in Hainan from April 23-25.

David Scowsill, the WTTC president and CEO, said Hainan was "a tropical island with an emergent and thriving tourism industry" and has the "potential to become a world-class tourism destination by 2020."

Nearly 1,000 delegates, including international tourism experts, industry leaders and investors are expected at the event to discuss the latest global tourism trends.

Hosting international sports events is another way the province promotes its image as an international tourist island.

The 2013 World Snooker Haikou Open, the Wanning International Surf Festival, the 2011 Omega Mission Hills World Cup and the 2011-2012 Volvo Ocean Race all took place in Hainan.

The island has also become a hotspot for yacht lovers from around the world in recent years.

In 2012, 113 foreign yachts arrived at and departed from the ports in Hainan. The figure accounted for 84.3 percent of the total number of arrivals and departures of foreign yachts in China, local officials said.

Hainan's regulations allow foreign yachts to stay for up to 90 days and other measures also encourage tourists to the island.

Visitors from Russia, Norway, Denmark, South Korea, Japan and 21 other countries can enjoy visa exemptions and tourist groups from Russia, Germany and South Korea can stay for up to 21 days.

The visa-free policies, started by Hainan's government in 2011, have boosted the tourism industry. According to official data, 756,000 international travelers visited Hainan in 2013.

huangyiming@chinadaily.com.cn

In Haikou,the provincial capital and the largest city of the province, 41.5 percent of the urban area is covered in greenery. Jiang Jurong / for China Daily

The coastal town of Boao in Qionghai is now a renowned destination for conventions and tourism. Huang Yiming / China Daily

In one of the scenic areas in Hainan, a Li ethnic woman showing her traditional embroidery skills. Huang Yiming / China Daily

(China Daily 04/09/2014 page12)