Yachting and Windsurfing Booming in Haikou

The tropical island resort of Hainan is seeking to boost its tourism by developing yachting and windsurfing, as part of the island's effort to build itself into a top international tourist destination.

He Fei has the story.

 With crystal clear waters, fresh ocean breezes, white sand beaches and top level resorts, Hainan has something more to offer than just the exotic tropical scenery. The provincial 2 capital Haikou has already become a yachting epicenter in China, as sailing and windsurfing become increasingly more popular among affluent 3 Chinese people.

"It is a very dynamic and vibrant 4 sport."

"It can test your limits, and it's a good way for young people to exceed their personal expectations of themselves."

Chen Guixiong is a windsurfer who has made many new friends through his participation 5 in the sport. He says he is becoming stronger physically 6, and enjoys greater peace of mind after just a year of windsurfing. He has a few tips for those who are interested in the sport.

"Summer, from May to September, is a good time for first-time learners, because the wind is gentle and the waves are small. The rest of the year is more suitable for skilled windsurfers, as they can experience the extreme pleasure of speed."

Amateurs like Chen, who seek enjoyment 7 from sailing, are frequent visitors on the west coast of Haikou, but more professional athletes are now beginning to gather here for training.

The Haikou Yachting and Windsurfing Training Base was established in 1984, and has since contributed a great deal to the achievement of the sport in China.

10 provinces nationwide have yachting race teams, of which 7 come to Haikou for annual winter training, with the total number of yachts reaching as high as 600. Compared to other training bases in southern China, namely in Guangdong and Fujian, Haikou boasts optimal 8 natural conditions. The temperature is comfortable and mild; the winds at sea are strong enough; and the surrounding environment is refreshing 9.

Xiaoyin, an athlete from the Sichuan team, has been training in Haikou for more than a decade. She says before the training base was built, they had to carry their own facilities to the beach every day, which was tiring and inconvenient 10. But now, training conditions have improved.

"Haikou has embraced a great deal of changes. The roads, greenery and general environment are very nice. I often see people picking up garbage on the beach, which is a great habit. It shows that Haikou really is a civilized 11 city."

Laurence, the French coach of the Sichuan team, says the training base in Haikou is as good as those overseas.

"I am the head coach of a Chinese sailing team, but I love Hainan, so I just came here. I have spent five years in Haikou and I already feel like I am a local. The environment is good. The sunshine is burning in the summer and the beach is beautiful."

As Hainan gears up to transform itself into a top international tourism destination, it is believed that the development of the yachting industry will attract more overseas visitors. Zhang Yunchen has just returned from Russia.

"As far as I know, Russians love this kind of sport. Many people sail on the Black sea, but most Russian territory is landlocked, so the people in the far east would definitely like to come to Hainan. It's also much cheaper here."

New regulations have been passed in Hainan, allowing foreign yachts to stay for longer periods of time, and simplifying yacht registration 12, in an effort to promote and improve the yachting industry and place it on a par 1 with international standards.

Meanwhile, Hainan has been blessed with the climate and marinas required to develop the sailing sector 13. There are currently more than 1,000 yachts officially registered on the mainland, and 37 percent of the most expensive ones are docked here.

It may come as a surprise to learn that yachting does not require a great deal of skill or experience to get started, and it's a safe sport to be involved in. If you are healthy and know how to swim, you can get aboard a yacht and learn how to sail. Basic facilities are also provided by Haikou's yachting clubs, with reasonable prices.

The whole country is booming with the development of the sport. Qingdao, which hosted the sailing competition during the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympic Games, has seen 40 shipyards set up in just one year.

Shanghai is aiming to become the largest yacht production base in China, while Tianjin, where a 9-billion yuan yacht port is currently under construction, plans to become the center of the yachting industry in North China.

China's yachting industry has gone from virtually zero, to attaining 14 a market size worth about $3.4 billion US dollars over the past few years. Some industry insiders predict that the yachting market in China could balloon tenfold in years to come.

For CRI, this is He Fei.