Guangdong to spend 9 billion yuan on tourism project
Zhanjiang in southwest Guangdong Province will allocate 9 billion yuan (US$1.3 billion) to develop Leiqiong Tourism Industrial Belt. The money will fund projects for five-star hotels, yacht clubs, two tourist districts and development of the uninhabited islands.
Zhanjiang sits at the intersection of Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan provinces. Hainan is undergoing a huge transformation to develop its own tourism industry. Zhanjiang hopes to capitalize on its proximity to the island province.
About 11.5 million tourists visited Zhanjiang last year, bringing the area 5.3 billion yuan (US$776.4 million).
The first phase of Dahansandun tourist district opened last year. It will receive 500 million yuan (US$73.2 million) for further construction over the next three years. Kangqisai Happy Land tourist district will receive 1.5 billion yuan (US$220 million) to build Sea World and Tourism Industrial Garden of World Village.
Five five-star hotels will open before 2012.