The overlook of Sanya City

The 2020 Sixth Asian Beach Games (hereinafter referred to as the ABG) will be held from November 28 to December 6, 2020, in Sanya, Hainan Province. As soon as the news that ABG will be held as scheduled, it attracted widespread attention. Nearly 300 Chinese and foreign media reported about it. "While Europe continues to take drastic measures to combat the spread of COVID-19...a ray of sunshine seems to have arrived in China," said Gianni Merlo, president of The International Sports Press Association (AIPS) on his social media platform.

Tong Daochi, vice chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Asian Beach Games Association, member of the Standing Committee of the Hainan Provincial Party Committee, and secretary of the Sanya Municipal Party Committee, said that Sanya will promote the city's image and organize the ABG with high standards, high efficiency and high quality. 

The Dadonghai Scenic Area will host multiple ABG events. It will be fully upgraded with the holding of ABG. 

A new level of tourism
 
Undoubtedly, as an important international sports event to be held as scheduled this year after the COVID-19 pandemic, ABG will bring firm confidence to boost the development of the tourism industry on the Hainan Island and further accelerate the construction of Hainan Free Trade Port. At the moment, Hainan is actively planning various preparations for ABG. Taking the Games as the starting point, Hainan will take various measures to promote the tourism industry and accelerate the high-quality development of Hainan.
 
Affected by the pandemic, although the number of tourists in Sanya has decreased than usual, the Tianya Haijiao area is quite busy with construction teams that can be seen everywhere. "We are working hard on improving the software and hardware facilities in the scenic area, and stepping up the construction of the venue facilities the opening ceremony," said Zheng Conghui, general manager of Sanya Tourism Group and chairman of Tianya Haijiao Tourism Development Co., Ltd. The holding of ABG will further enhance the popularity of the city and bring confidence to the revival of the tourism economy.

"Several international brands under the group have already settled in Sanya. ABG will help Sanya achieve the integrated development of 'sports + tourism + exhibitions', promote economic structural transformation, and speed up the construction of international tourism consumption centers,"said Qian Jiannong, Chairman and CEO of Fosun Tourism Group (Foliday). He believes that with the increase of similar international events such as the ABG, the attraction of Sanya's tourism and investment will be significantly enhanced.

Embracing the world

ABG mascot Yaya appears in Times Square, New York. More than 2,300 pieces of news about the ABG were released within one week after the release of the mascot including many well-known international media such as the UK's The Daily Telegraph. At the essential stage of preparation, the Chinese and foreign media keep focusing on the ABG and the development of Sanya. Voice of Sanya ABG and Sanya stories have been widely heard.

"For Sanya, organizing the ABG is a good opportunity for friends from different countries and regions to know that Sanya is a charming place," Huo Zhenting, vice chairman of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), said that holding the events is a great opportunity to promote Chinese culture and history.
 
The vice-chairman and secretary-general of the Organizing Committee of the ABG, the deputy secretary of the Sanya Municipal Party Committee, and the mayor, A Dong said that the ABG is large in scale and influential. And it fits the characteristics of Sanya cities. Sanya should seize the rare development opportunities, promote the tourism industry, and strive to achieve the goal of running it well.

On March 7, tourists experience aquatic projects and the charm of the ocean in the Wuzhizhou Island tourist area of Sanya.

ABG's cultural heritage may promote Sanya in the future

At the press conference for the first anniversary of the countdown to the Sanya ABG, the mascot "Yaya" debuted.

"ABG's cultural heritage can be seen as tangible heritage and intangible heritage, which can be regarded as a comprehensive improvement of the hard and soft power of Sanya," said Zhou Jun,deputy secretary-general of the Organizing Committee of the ABG Association, executive deputy director of the ABG Committee, and deputy mayor of Sanya City. Tangible heritage is those urban infrastructure facilities and city image enhancement projects that are steadily advancing. 

Besides, ABG will also leave Sanya with its valuable "talent heritage" and "system legacy" which can be seen as the intangible heritage. "Excellent talents are the most precious legacy of the ABG," said Wei Jizhong, the lifelong honorary vice-chairman of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). Wei Jizhong believes that the talents will be essential for the construction of Hainan.