Hainan’s ‘Atlantis myth’ opens its doors

THE United Arab Emirates Atlantis Resorts & Residences said on Monday that Atlantis Sanya, its “flagship resort” in China’s Hainan Province, opened during the Chinese New Year, in a bid to tap into China’s booming tourism market.

The resort, with an investment of US$1.6 billion, opened in time for the Spring Festival holiday, which ran from February 15-21, to welcome its first guests.

The opening of China’s first integrated entertainment resort will enhance Hainan’s “incredible tourism proposition,” Atlantis said.

Located on the Haitang Bay National Coast, Atlantis Sanya encompasses 540,000 square meters of “unparalleled excitement and larger than life experiences,” Atlantis added.

Built around the myth of the Lost City of Atlantis, the resort offers twisting waterslides as well as exploration of the ancient Atlantis civilization at the Lost Chambers Aquarium, which spans two floors and is described as the largest openair aquarium in the world.

Hainan is one of the most popular winter resorts for Chinese holidaymakers. About 90,000 vehicles with over 400,000 tourists visited Hainan during this year’s Spring Festival holiday.

Hainan also intends to become a world-class tourist destination, aiming to attract more than 1.3 million foreign tourists in 2020.