国内英语资讯:Feature: Chinas Hainan lures global travelers with more than beaches_时事

国内英语资讯:Feature: Chinas Hainan lures global travelers with more than beaches

Hainan offers a wide range of travel packages that include sightseeing, beaches, folk customs, tropical rainforests, sports and health care.

More than 280,000 Russian tourists went to Hainan last year, a twofold increase compared with a year ago, according to Denisov.

"We hope to further strengthen tourism cooperation, increasing the percentage of Russian tourists to 50 percent out of all overseas tourists to Hainan," he said.

In fact, the number of overseas tourists to Hainan exceeded 1.1 million in 2017, up nearly 50 percent year on year, according to statistics from local authorities.

A three-year plan will be rolled out this year to make the island a top-tier destination, with preferential policies such as visa-free services, ticket promotions and service upgrades.

HUGE CHANGES

"I look forward to going back to Hainan because I think the changes there are just as dramatic as the rest of China. I can tell just by watching the pictures from here," said Norwegian ambassador to China Geir O. Pedersen, who visited the province back in 1988.

Large display panels and booths showing local specialties and recent developments in Hainan were part of a promotion event held Friday in Beijing. The event attracted more than 500 people, including Pedersen and other foreign diplomats from over 160 countries.

"It is not just nice beaches, beautiful people, but also many interesting developments, lots of new buildings, industries, especially high-tech development," said Pedersen, who expressed a hope to boost cooperation by drawing on each other's strengths.