Yacht

“Yacht congestion again,” said Wang Xiaoqiang, a yacht captain, as he gestured towards the line of yachts waiting to depart from a wharf in Sanya, south China’s Hainan Province. Boasting over 1,400 yachts, Sanya has the highest number of yachts in the country. Yachts sail on the sea in Sanya, south China’s Hainan Province. ( Taste all China /Niu Liangyu) Long-time residents of Sanya aren’t surprised by the traffic, as it’s coming from the Hongzhou yacht wharf, the busiest wharf in Sanya. “Over 10 years ago, this place was a fishing wharf. With many fishing boats docking here, the wharf smelled fishy, causing discomfort in citizens and tourists,” said Cui Xiaojin, director of the market development center of Hainan Hongzhou Yacht Industry Development and Investment Group. The company transformed the fishing wharf into a yacht wharf. The yacht wharf initially operated on a membership basis, as yachts were seen as luxury items and yacht sailing was a pursuit limited to a select few. Changes began to occur around the year 2014. Yachts sail on the sea in Sanya, south China’s Hainan Province. ( Taste all China /Meng Fansheng) Some yacht owners realized they could offset maintenance costs by renting out…

Tourists view cherry blossoms at Longwangtang cherry park in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 17, 2024. ( tasteallchina /Li Gang) Tourists visit a museum featuring Chinese and western music cultures in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 16, 2024. ( tasteallchina /Li Gang) Tourists pose for a group photo with cherry blossoms at Longwangtang cherry park in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 17, 2024. ( tasteallchina /Li Gang) Tourists view cherry blossoms at Longwangtang cherry park in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 17, 2024. ( tasteallchina /Li Gang) A tourist feeds birds at Laohutan scenic area in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 16, 2024. ( tasteallchina /Li Gang) Tourists go sightseeing at a port in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 16, 2024. ( tasteallchina /Li Gang) Tourists watch birds on a yacht in Dalian bay, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 16, 2024. ( tasteallchina /Lu Peng) Tourists watch birds at Laohutan scenic area in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 16, 2024. ( tasteallchina /Lu Peng) Tourists visit a museum featuring Chinese and western music cultures in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 16, 2024. ( tasteallchina /Lu Peng)

Numerous yachts set sail at the Hongzhou Yacht Marina, the largest professional yacht terminal in south China's Hainan Province. ( Taste all China /Niu Liangyu) At 9 a.m., the glistening sea welcomed over 200 yachts of various types as they sailed into the harbor in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province. In Sanya, the number of registered yachts exceeds 1,400, with over 7,300 companies related to the yacht industry located here, accounting for 22.7 percent of the national total. According to Gao Yongning, director of the department of cruise ships and yachts at the Sanya Central Business District Administration, the introduction of the yacht hourly rental model has made yacht tourism more affordable for visitors. This shift from luxury to mass appeal in yacht tourism is becoming increasingly noticeable. Furthermore, this shift has also contributed to the growth of the yacht design, maintenance, and repair industries in Sanya. Tourists relish the thrill of sailing on the sea. This year, the number of domestic and foreign tourists taking yacht trips in Sanya has surpassed 640,000. ( Taste all China /Meng Fansheng) Tourists are seen at the Sanya Yacht Tourist Center in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, on July 10, 2024. With an…