Situated in a tropical environment, the island's blue tourism does best during winter months when tourists flock to Hainan to get a break from cold weather back home. With rich land resources and a rainforest in the center of the island, Hainan is also trying to lure travelers year-round with what it calls "green tourism." Drawing on the high-end vacationers that visit the island's beach resorts, Hainan's government is now pumping money into land tourism projects of all kinds, from golf courses to rainforest excursions.

But for travelers on a tighter budget who are looking for a less-fancy escape, Hainan is also promoting what is known as "red tourism." In its most recent efforts to attract tourists, the island is catering to those who want to learn about China's communist roots. Although it's not a part of the mainland, the island has strong ties to the Party, providing key generals and strategic military camps during the war.

"The historical achievements of Hainan have laid the foundation for Hainan's economic takeoff," Chinese Minister of Culture Cai Wu said Sunday at the plenary session for the Boao International Tourism Forum (BITF). As many of the "red culture" hotspots exist in villages and not among the ritzy resorts, the island sees this kind of tourism as a key opportunity to more evenly distribute the economic benefits gained from the travel industry. Mr. Cai said the income level of both urban and rural residents in Hainan has already started increasing.

Also speaking at the forum, Hainan Governor Luo Baoming stressed the importance of developing the tourism industry not just for tourists, but for residents as well. "To improve people's livelihoods is an indispensable part to build up tourism," he said. "We cannot forget the 8.6 million locals."