Sanya strives to build full yacht industry chain

This year, Sanya's cruise market has made a strong recovery. From January to February, Sanya received 291,600 cruise passengers, a year-on-year increase of 24.41 percent. This translates as more than 600 yachts for sightseeing every day on average.

With its unique tropical temperament and four major bay areas, Sanya has obvious advantages to develop its yacht industry.

In 2007, Sanya Visun Royal Yacht Marina, one of the first batches of standard yacht marinas in Hainan, finished construction, marking the start of the development of Sanya's yacht industry.

Ground was first broken on the marina in 2010, and the Volvo Ocean Race's Sanya stop was held here two years later.

The construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port has become another driving force for Sanya to develop its yacht industry. "After the promulgation of regulations, the yacht-leasing industry has ushered in a booming era," said Liu Yangliu, general manager of Hainan Visun Yacht Industry Development (Investment) Group.

Wakesurfing is currently one of the most popular marine sports among young people, and it is considered a derivative product of the yacht industry chain. According to Chen Xiaoyu, executive director of Sanya Serenity Marina, many wakesurfing clubs have been attracted to settle there, and there are now over 50 wave-making boats docked in the marina.

The integrated development of the yacht industry with wedding photography, catering, parties, accommodation and other related industries has also proven an achievement.

As of the end of 2022, Sanya has built four yacht marinas, with about 960 water berths. In 2022, there were 96,300 yachts sailing around its coast and 590,300 tourists received, ranking among the top in the country. The total number of registered yachts reached 1,137, a year-on-year increase of 20.32 percent.

The 2023 Sanya International Boat Show and International Wine Show will be held in Sanya from April 13 to 17. Sanya International Yacht Center will serve as the main venue of the event.

Cruise ships berth at Sanya Serenity Marina. [Photo/IC]