Sanya in S China’s Hainan cultivates thriving yacht industry

“Yacht congestion again,” said Wang Xiaoqiang, a yacht captain, as he gestured towards the line of yachts waiting to depart from a wharf in Sanya, south China’s Hainan Province.

Boasting over 1,400 yachts, Sanya has the highest number of yachts in the country.

Yachts sail on the sea in Sanya, south China’s Hainan Province. (People’s Daily Online/Niu Liangyu)

Long-time residents of Sanya aren’t surprised by the traffic, as it’s coming from the Hongzhou yacht wharf, the busiest wharf in Sanya.

“Over 10 years ago, this place was a fishing wharf. With many fishing boats docking here, the wharf smelled fishy, causing discomfort in citizens and tourists,” said Cui Xiaojin, director of the market development center of Hainan Hongzhou Yacht Industry Development and Investment Group. The company transformed the fishing wharf into a yacht wharf.

The yacht wharf initially operated on a membership basis, as yachts were seen as luxury items and yacht sailing was a pursuit limited to a select few.

Changes began to occur around the year 2014.

Yachts sail on the sea in Sanya, south China’s Hainan Province. (People’s Daily Online/Meng Fansheng)

Some yacht owners realized they could offset maintenance costs by renting out their yachts during idle periods, said Cui.

This rental model started to gain popularity, allowing yacht owners to reduce costs and tourists to enjoy yacht trips without the need to purchase their own.

This business opportunity led to an influx of investors in the yacht industry, resulting in the rise of yacht tourism in Sanya.

Currently, Sanya boasts five yacht wharfs, with the Hongzhou wharf accommodating around 420 yachts year-round. In 2023, the city recorded a total of 161,100 yacht trips, attracting 1.08 million tourist visits.

“Here, my family of four can enjoy a three-hour yacht trip for less than 1,000 yuan (about $137.45),” said a tourist from southwest China’s Sichuan Province.

Tourists experience water activities in Sanya, south China’s Hainan Province. (People's Daily Online/Fu Wuping)

One of the reasons why yacht tourism is booming in Sanya is because of the fantastic weather conditions.

“Sanya boasts over 350 days of ideal sailing conditions each year,” said Gao Yongning, deputy director of the department of cruise ships and yachts at the Sanya Central Business District Administration.

With a climate that is conducive to sailing and a diverse marine ecosystem, Sanya offers a wide array of maritime activities for tourists. This not only meets their desire for leisure and relaxation but also presents ample opportunities for the expansion of the yacht industry.

Data shows that in the first half of this year, Sanya recorded around 58,000 yacht trips, accommodating approximately 367,000 tourist visits. The majority of these tourists came from Sichuan, Heilongjiang, and Hebei provinces.