Hainan Island to host tourism forum

Known as "Asia's Answer To Hawaii," Hainan Island has experienced rapid growth in local tourism over the past decade. The province boasts excellent air quality, clean water, and the chance to live a healthy lifestyle. Local authorities are now getting ready for one of their first major global events.

The Bo Ao International Tourism Forum is set to open in Hainan Island's resort city, Sanya, this weekend.

The Bo Ao International Tourism Forum is set to open in Hainan Island's resort city, Sanya, this weekend. According to organizers, more than 12-hundred visitors from around the world will attend. Included among that number are political dignitaries from 50 countries and regions, representatives of major international establishments, and delegates from cities across China. Business leaders in the fields of tourism and entertainment are also scheduled to be on hand.

The showcase will focus on the evolution of the tourism and cultural industries in the post-financial crisis era. Participants will propose and discuss measures for reviving the travel industry, which has been hit hard over the past year or so.

The province first started building an eco-tourism sector 10 years ago. The eastern side of the island continues to develop travel-specific initiatives, while the western half targets environmentally-friendly concerns. Roughly 30-thousand visitors now stop by to get in touch with the natural beauty of Hainan Island every month.