South China's island province of Hainan is determined to vigorously explore tourism and make the sector contribute more to the province's gross domestic product (GDP) in the forthcoming two decades.

In accordance with an overall provincial tourism development plan, Hainan expects to be able to host 48 million to 55 million tourists annually by 2020, and revenue from the tourism industry will account for 15 percent of the province's GDP by then.

According to the plan, Hainan will concentrate efforts on constructing seven major tourism centers based on key local cities such as Haikou, Sanya, Bo'ao, as well as sites of attraction, including Mount Wuzhi.

Efforts will also be made to develop tourism programs featuring local tropical resources and cultural uniques.

Hainan, rich in tropical resources, is one of China's seven major designated regions for tourism development. It is an ideal resort for pleasure-seekers and holiday goers as most areas of the province are not been polluted by industrial development.

With a population of 7.8 million, Hainan Province is now capable of handling 10 million tourists annually and earning 7.8 billion yuan (about US$ 940 million) from tourism services each year.

( Xinhua News Agency December 31, 20o1)