Province set to make the most of "Silk Road Tourism Year"

Tourism authorities in Hainan province have put forward seven tourism routes along the ancient maritime Silk Road to further tap into the rich tourism resources and explore opportunities brought about by the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Initiative.

The country's plan to develop the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road will further showcase the important strategic location of Hainan province, as the country's southernmost province has already played significant roles in the protection and development of the South China Sea.

The decision to build the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road was made during the third plenary session of the 18th Communist Party of China Central Committee in November 2013.

The National Tourism Administration set the theme for this year's tourism development as "Beautiful China - Silk Road Tourism Year."

The Silk Road Tourism Year is part of the tourism industry's efforts to implement the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road initiatives, collectively referred to as the Belt and Road Initiative.

The Hainan Provincial Commission of Tourism Development named seven tourism routes to showcase maritime Silk Road culture along the South China Sea.

The routes include a trip to see Southeast Asian culture in Hainan, a route to trace ancient shops in Hainan, a cruise to Sansha, the newest and southernmost city in China, and a journey to taste the flavors of Hainan's cuisine. Other routes include a treasure hunting trip experience of Tanmen, an ancient township along the maritime Silk Road.

The tourism routes aim to showcase the charm of Hainan province and its maritime Silk Road history through culture, buildings, ports, cuisine, ancient nautical maps and exported Chinese products.

The maritime Silk Road has connected China with Southeast Asia, south Asia, east Asia and Europe for more than 2,000 years. It is a major transport route for the maritime trade and for cultural exchanges in the northeast Asia region.

Hainan has long been an important hub for the maritime Silk Road, with historic evidence suggesting that it was the starting point of the trade route during the Tang Dynasty (AD 18-907). Several historic sites with links to the maritime Silk Road have been discovered on Hainan Island and in the South China Sea areas.

The Southeast Asian culture along the Hainan province route includes visits to ancient streets in Haikou and Wenchang, the ancient harbor for fishing boats in Tanmen town of Qionghai and the ancient house of the Cai Family in Boao. Other sites on the route include a Southeast Asia-style town in Zhongyuan county, Dongshan Hill in Wanning and Coconut Island in Lingshui.

The trip to ancient business hubs in the province includes the bell tower in Haikou, Qinglan port in Wenchang, Longwan Port in Dalu township of Qionghai, Boao Port in Qionghai, Xiaobei Port in Wanning, Xincun Port in Lingshui and Dadan Port in Sanya.

Destinations to the western coast of Hainan Island include the ancient city of Chengmai, Xinying Port in Lingao, Eman Port in Danzhou, the ancient salt fields in Yangpu, White Horse Well in Danzhou and an ancient city in Changhua.

Hainan cuisine trravel destinations include local cuisine in the Qilou area of Haikou, Wenchang rice cooked with chicken, seafood in Tanmen, Southeast Asian snacks in Zhongyuan, Xinglong coffee in Wanning, fish steak in Xincun town of Lingshui and fish soup of the Hui people in Fenghuang township of Sanya.

The treasure hunting trip destinations in Hainan include Fragrance Street in Haikou, Wennan Ancient Street in Wenchang, Tanmen township in Qionghai, Wanlong cofee and fragrances in Wanning, dried seafood products in Lingshui and pearls in Sanya.

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(China Daily 09/10/2015 page10)