As it is stated in the newest report by the Worlds Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), China’s Hainan province has a high chance of becoming one of the leading resorts in the world by 2012. According to WTTC by 2012 the amount of expenditures in Hainan will be almost equal to the one in Singapore. The tourism sector of the province will provide as many jobs as the same industries in Italy and Malaysia.
The annual growth of international tourism expenditure will be 12.6% during ten years (from 2011 to 2021) and will finally estimate US$17.5 billion. This will make the tourism economy of Hainan province compatible to tourism sector of Singapore. Tourism and travel will also become very sufficient in the economy of the province. Currently tourism sector contributes as much as 35% to the GDP of the province. By the end of 2021 this digit will rise to 46%. Revenue from this industry allows the province to complete with whole countries. For example, currently Hainan occupies the 54th position in the WTTC League Table list that throws light upon total contribution of travel and tourism to GDP. By 2021 the province will move to the 13th place that is currently occupied by Russia.
The number of jobs created because of such a rapid growth of tourism is also tremendous. Even now the number of people involved in Hainan’s tourism is bigger than in Macau and Hong Kong both. Within next ten years the growth of the industry will create additional 500,000 new jobs.
In 2010 the province was visited by 26 million of tourists. The growth of the number of visitors estimated 14% comparing to 1995. Without a doubt, this is very fast development, but it also creates some risks. The province’s government needs to have a careful plan that will take into consideration the interests of the local population, stakeholders and tourists.