Beibu Gulf to be built into intl coastal resort in 3 years

Egrets rest in mangrove forests in Beihai. [Photo by Xu Zhenguo/Guangxi Daily]

A three-year action plan to accelerate the construction of the Beibu Gulf in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region into an international coastal resort with outstanding ecological environment, rich cultural atmosphere, as well as high quality and coordinated development was released on June 17.

The plan notes that the tourism influence and competitiveness of Beihai, Fangchenggang, and Qinzhou will be significantly increased, with the annual number of visitors to the Beibu Gulf projected to reach 140 million, as well as the annual tourism consumption projected to reach 160 billion yuan ($24 billion) by 2024. 

Five main tasks were listed in the action plan, namely enriching high-quality tourism products, cultivating coastal distinctive and advantageous industries, increasing the internationalization level of coastal tourism, optimizing a modern tourism market system, as well as deepening regional cooperation and opening-up.

Tourist attractions like Weizhou Island and Eyu Mountain in Beihai will be improved for better quality, while more support will go to the cruise and yacht tourism industry, with construction of projects like Beihai International Cruise Home Port, as well as Fangchenggang Cruise Port moving forward.

Major transportation infrastructure in Beihai, Fangchenggang, and Qinzhou will be planned, while the distinctive marine culture in the Beibu Gulf will be further inherited and developed for global promotion. 

The action plan included 137 major cultural tourism projects, with their total investment exceeding 350 billion yuan. Among them, 16 are new projects and 59 are reserved for future demands.