Continuous efforts will be made by Zhuhai to further improve the city's island tourism quality, officials from the Zhuhai Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism & Sports and Hezhou New Area announced during a May 23 press conference.

The Wanshan Archipelago, located in the estuary of the Pearl River, is the geographic center of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, as it connects to Hong Kong in the east and Macao in the west. 

Enjoying abundant tourism resources, the Wanshan Archipelago is a coastal leisure destination with great potential. It received 42,112 visitors during the recent five-day May Day holiday, increasing by 156.8 percent year-on-year. Among them, 21,429 were overnight visitors, up 68.2 percent year-on-year. The island's total tourism consumption during this period increased by 155.6 percent year-on-year, totaling 33.03 million yuan ($4.68 million).

Big Wanshan Island [Photo courtesy WeChat account: zhuhaifabu]

Changqin Island, which has just been put into operation, became one of the highlights of island tourism during the holiday. A music festival held on the island, as well as a series of colorful activities such as beach salons, has brought immersive music tourism experiences to visitors.

Jiang Yi, deputy director of the Zhuhai Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism & Sports, said that measures will be taken to deeply integrate and develop its music culture resources during Changqin Island's ecological restoration process. The island is expected to be a tourism complex and a modern cultural tourism destination that features music, culture, science popularization education, marine sports, and leisure. 

The Wanshan Archipelago will join hands with the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, Macao, and Hong Kong to promote its tourism resources. During this year's summer holiday, the Wanshan Archipelago will also release events such as summer camps and study tours that will allow children in the Greater Bay Area to get closer to nature.

Jiang Yun of Hezhou's preparatory group said that the tourism industry will release discounts for scenic areas and transportation while making full use of marine transportation to present new island tourism products.

High-quality programs relating to conventions and exhibitions, healthcare, cultural experience, and marine tourism will also be developed to form a diversified tourism product system with different themes and levels.

The Guishan International Yacht Resort Center, invested in and developed by Zhuhai Wanyang, is now under construction. It has already finished installing supporting facilities for yacht berths, and the whole project is expected to begin trial operation in 2024.

By then, the center will work with Zhuhai City to apply for the pilot operation of yacht terminals in Guangdong Province to realize independent travel between Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao. This will provide a solid support for the construction of a leisure tourism resort in the Greater Bay Area.

The Wanshan Archipelago is expected to attract 1.5 million visitors by 2025, with 1 million of them being overnight visitors. The island's per capita tourism consumption is estimated to be around 1,500 yuan ($213), bringing an annual tourism industrial revenue of 5 billion yuan ($708 million).

As for other island recommendations, Dong'ao Island is an ideal island destination for lovers, while Wailingding Island is popular among young tourists for its water sports and local delicacies. Guishan Island is perfect for parents traveling with their children.