China's government plans US$19.5bn investment into Beihai tourism
In a bid to boost tourism in the region, China's government has announced plans to invest CN¥134bn (US$19.5bn, €16.7bn, £14.8bn) across 17 major entertainment and culture projects on the South China coast.
Based around the southern Chinese coastal city of Beihai, three of the projects are worth more than CN¥10bn (US$1.5bn, €1.3bn, £1.15bn), with a further seven costing between CN¥2bn (US$300m, €256.5m, £228.4m) and CN¥10bn. The final seven will be worth up to CN¥2bn.
Tourism is a major part of Beihai's economy. In 2017, the city welcomed 30.7 million domestic tourists, an increase of 24 per cent on the previous year's figures. In 2017, visitors to Beihai spent CN¥36.5bn (US$5.3bn, €4.5bn, £4bn) – an increase of 28 per cent.
The city is in the country designated by the government as a "China Excellent Tourism City". The China National Tourism Administration named the destination for its unique natural and tourism resources related to the sea, including its sandy beaches, easily accessible islands, large seafood markets, coral reefs, marine life, forests, and an aquarium specialising in shellfish and coral.
The majority of the funding will be used to build five major tourism complexes, which will be worth a combined CN¥99.5bn (US$14.5bn, €12.4bn, £11bn).
China's ongoing theme park boom will be given a further boost, with the plans including three new parks. These will be developed at a cost of CN¥5bn (US$728m, €622.8m, £554.2m).
There will also be investment into tourist infrastructure, with CN¥11.5bn (US$1.7bn, €1.45bn, £1.3bn) allocated towards these improvements, which include high-end hotels, recreational facilities, sports arenas and improvements to the local airport to allow for an increase in the number of daily flights.
"The investment and construction of these facilities meet the requirements for the upgrade and development of Beihai's tourism industry," said a statement from the Beihai Tourism Development Commission (BTDC).
"They are of great significance for making up for the city's current shortcomings in terms of what can be offered to the traveler or visitor, expanding the range of tourism-related offerings, improving the overall level of tourism services, and speeding up the transformation of the local tourism sector into a new CN¥100bn (US$14.5bn, €12.5bn, £11bn) a year industry."
A number of international hotel groups have already agreed in principal to open properties in Beihai, including Sheraton, Hilton, Marriott, Intercontinental and Wyndham. According to the BTDC, this will lead to construction of further hotel developments by other major international brands in the future.
The investment, says the government is only the start for Beihai, with plans to invest hundreds of millions of yuan annually to offer continuous support for further development of the region's aviation facilities.
China South China tourism Beihai China National Tourism Administration theme park Sheraton Hilton Beihai Tourism Development CommissionInterContinental Shanghai Wonderland to open Q4 2018
Large Anantara hotel planned for Central China
'No plans' to open SeaWorld park in China, says operator
Studio Libeskind finish Wuhan museum that reflects the city’s ‘future and spirit’
Harmonic Turbine Tidal Hotel to make waves with tidal energy focus in China
China's science museum collaborating with Unesco to promote science education across Eurasia
Pelli Clarke Pelli win Chengdu Natural History Museum project with design inspired by tectonic movement
FEATURE: Tourism – Aloha Hainan


James Corner Field Operations creates Highline for London

Esbjerg’s landmark maritime center, designed by WERK Arkitekter and Snøhetta, opens to the public

SEVEN to open world’s first indoor Discovery Adventures centres in Saudi Arabia

Fun and fear drive new Universal attraction concepts for Texas and Las Vegas

Voelker Gray Design creates 10-acre hot springs wellness haven for Atlanta

AIDarchitecten create healing spa for Antwerp's Botanic Sanctuary

Hollaway Studio's Seahive would bring blue health to South-East England

SEVEN to invest US$13bn in developing entertainment destinations across Saudi Arabia

World Spa’s expansive 50,000sq ft urban bathhouse and wellness club opens in Brooklyn

Floating Salmon Eye visitor attraction by Kvorning Design highlights sustainable aquaculture

White Arkitekter's Wood Hotel in Skellefteå Swedish Lapland is climate positive and made from local timber

Nohlab's 'Everything' installation among Noor Riyadh festival highlights

Bob Iger's return to Disney sparks major restructuring focused on creativity and storytelling

Therme Group plans US$200m urban wellbeing resort in South Korea

Digital art installation in Nanjing helps the public keep an eye on exoplanets

First glimpses revealed of flagship Blue Zones Centre in Miami

Warner Bros. and Infinite Reality launch metaverse experiences for live sports fans

Storyland Studios' Nigeria's film city project will break ground in Q1 2023

Canyon Ranch preps for major expansion with new destinations in Austin, Fort Worth and Houston

WilkinsonEyre-designed Battersea Power Station development opens as leisure district following £9bn redevelopment

Healthy cities conference to discuss diversity and inclusivity in urban planning and design

Foster and Partners reveal design for sustainable marine life centre on the Red Sea

Anaheim's US$4bn ocV!BE project approved by planners

Construction marches ahead for Saudi giga-projects Amaala and The Red Sea

HBG Design behind Michigan’s six-storey Aquadome inspired by the sun’s path across the sky

Seventh International Museum Construction Congress to be held in Norway this year

The 'world's most anticipated museum' to finally open this year

Nike's Serena Williams Building, designed by Skylab, follows the concept of flow

Saudi Arabia's Neom mega-development to include 100-mile long 'horizontal skyscraper city'

David Adjaye and Ralph Appelbaum selected for £57m International Slavery Museum and Maritime Museum project
From parks designed to mitigate the effects of flooding to warming huts for one of the world’s coldest cities, these projects have been designed for increasingly extreme climates