The upscale five-star Marriot and Hyatt Alila hotels on Dong'ao Island are expected to begin operations in 2024 as a global high-end ecological tourism destination and help the island win the title of national 5A-level scenic area.

The facilities are part of Phase II of the 400,000-sqm (98.8-acre) Lingding Seashore project funded by Gree. The Marriot Hotel, which is located at the foot of Honeymoon Mt, has finished construction on its main structure. It is expected to be completed by the end of year. 

Meanwhile, main structure of Alila Hotel, which overlooks Diamond Beach of Nansha Bay, has been 70 percent completed and is expected to finish construction and decoration by January 2023. The constructor, Zhuhai Gree Group Construction, will endeavor to complete the entire project in the first half of 2023, according to project manager Liu Jiaming.

Aerial view of the construction site of Marriot Hotel [Photo courtesy Zhuhai Daily] 

Wu Wei, deputy general manager of Zhuhai Gree Group Construction, said that the group has invested 4 billion yuan ($629 million) in the Lingding Seashore project. Costing 2.35 billion yuan ($369.31 million), phase II of the project will span 124,500 sq m (31 acres). The two hotels, along with 77 detached guest houses, will form a global high-end ecological tourism area featuring wedding celebrations, honeymoon services, healthcare, and parent-child entertainment.

The project's construction firmly adheres to the green island and sustainable development concepts, integrating the unique natural landscapes of Dongao Island into its overall layout. 

Phase I of the project was comprised of Gree Dong'ao Hotel and support facilities, which opened in 2014. It has served millions of tourists since operation.

Thanks to its optimized infrastructure and convenient transportation, the Wanshan Archipelago has become more popular with domestic tourists. Statistics show that major Zhuhai islands, such as Dong'ao, Wailingding, and Guishan, received 41,200 tourists from Oct 1 to 6, 2021, increasing by 13 percent year-on-year. Of note, 24,500 of the visitors stayed overnight on the islands, an increase of 31.2 percent year-on-year. 

The Lingding Seashore will be a demonstrative project to accelerate the Wanshan Archipelago's construction into an international island tourism resort in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, noted Chen Jiaying, deputy mayor of Wanshan town. It will also boost the high-quality development of Zhuhai's tourism industry, Chen added.