The Hainan provincial government is looking for international hotel operators and recognised travel and tourism businesses to help fulfil the island?s promise. Development Planning Department chief Yu Qiaoqi lists potential opportunities ranging from a hotel and volcanic theme park in the existing Crater Park area outside Haikou to the development of cruise liner terminals in the capital and the southern tourism hub of Sanya. ?We?re also trying to attract investment from travel enterprises overseas to look at new areas on Hainan to upgrade the services and infrastructure there,? Ms Yu said. Yet officials are equally adamant that development will not be at a cost to the environment. Eco-tourism will get priority and every project will have to undergo a stringent environmental impact assessment (EIA) before planning permission is given. Even then, in some cases, tenders will be called for competing ideas and comparative costs. ?Care for our beaches, corals, islands, forests, lakes and mountains is paramount,? Ms Yu said. Hainan is also responsible for the remote and lonely Paracel Islands, a scattering of islets and atolls deep in the South China Sea. Once known largely because they were a major hazard to shipping, the Paracels have for years been ignored. Now there are plans to refurbish an old military base as a boutique hotel. So fragile is the environment that strict limits will be enforced; only 200 guests at a time may stay at any future hotel and shore visits from vessels will be limited to 400 daily. The islands are a renowned but rarely visited bird reserve. The offer is not open to international players; because of security considerations, only Chinese firms will be asked to tender. One definite proposal opened to all is a huge integrated golf, leisure and cultural resort proposed for an area with 54 km of beaches near the existing southeastern coastal resort of Xinlong. Plans here call for a 5-star villa-type hotel with a theme park. Continuing an island-wide theme of health and nature tourism, there are also openings for a number of spas tapping into the natural mineral springs found almost everywhere on Hainan. Realising that tourism investments need ?a huge amount of money? the provincial government is offering an attractive package of tax concessions and incentives. The island this year expects to welcome about 12 million tourists, more than 95 per cent from the mainland. For details, Ms Yu can be contacted on: 0898-65342596
