Sanya's Yacht Tourism Industry Rides the Wave of Momentum

Sanya, a coastal city in Hainan province, has seen a surge in yacht tourism this year, with nearly 130,000 yacht trips carrying over 900,000 passengers from January to September. The policy tailwinds from the Hainan Free Trade Port and Sanya's push to expand its maritime economy have driven the growth. Sanya's pleasant climate, high-quality waters, and long coastline make it suitable for sailing more than 350 days a year, according to Qian Xiaoming, deputy director of the Sanya Central Business District Administration.

Key Takeaways:

• The Sanya Yacht Tourism Center, a project within the city's central business district, has been built with an investment of 9.55 billion yuan ($1.3 billion) and features two 16-meter-high exhibition halls and nearly 30,000 square meters of commercial space.
• By the end of 2024, Sanya had registered 1,415 yachts, while more than 7,300 yacht-related enterprises had clustered in the city, accounting for 22.7 percent of the nation's total.
• The city had introduced 25 newly registered yacht-related enterprises by the end of September, up 213 percent year-on-year.
• A new rule approved by China's Ministry of Transport raised the maximum crew limit for FTP-registered yachts from 12 to 26, enhancing operational efficiency and improving commercial value.
• The Hainan provincial government has pledged continued policy and financial support to consolidate the growth of Sanya's yacht industry.
• Sanya has built a nine-segment yacht-industrial chain covering training, Customs clearance, chartering, and sales, and aims to expand into yacht design, research, and development, and manufacturing.
• Global yacht brands increasingly use Sanya as a platform for product debuts and trade talks. The city has been named the best city for yacht-development and best yacht-tourism destination for several years running.

Statistics:

• From January to September, nearly 130,000 yacht trips set sail from Sanya, carrying more than 900,000 passengers.
• By the end of 2024, Sanya had registered 1,415 yachts, while more than 7,300 yacht-related enterprises had clustered in the city, accounting for 22.7 percent of the nation's total.
• The city had introduced 25 newly registered yacht-related enterprises by the end of September, up 213 percent year-on-year.
• The Sanya International Cruise Terminal's Phase-I construction is underway, with a new 100,000-metric-ton berth to replace the existing 80,000-ton facility.

Sources:

• China Daily Sanya
• Hainan Daily
• Sanya Yacht Tourism Center
• Sanya Central Business District Administration
• China's Ministry of Transport
• Hainan provincial government