HAIKOU, China, April 30. /TASS/. Authorities of the leading Chinese resort city of Sanya on the coast of the southern province of Hainan have developed 128 measures to improve the quality of tourism services, deputy secretary general of the city Xie Yifa announced.
"In connection with the province's year of improving the quality of tourism services, 128 specific [incentive] measures have been proposed," he said at a press conference ahead of China's Labor Day holiday.
The official specified that the reforms include optimizing the credit rating system, improving transportation and sanitary conditions, and speeding up the review of tourist complaints.
According to Xie Yifu, authorities are recruiting 100 inspectors to assess Sanya's tourism sector. "More than 100 people have already applied, including 10 foreigners from a number of countries," he added.
Comprehensive measures with a wide scope
According to the Sanya Daily, the new measures have already come into force. They affect duty-free shops, tourist attractions, restaurants, car rentals and scuba diving.
For example, Sanya's leading duty-free store has organized regular training sessions for employees on customer service etiquette. Employees help shoppers register, calculate their purchases and receive greater discounts. Inventory management is done in person and online, with real-time synchronization of prices and promotions. An automated answering machine is available 24/7 to answer common customer questions.
If consumers have complaints, the store will be able to review them within 12 hours, and in particularly urgent cases, within one hour. This ensures that the rights and interests of customers are protected as effectively as possible.
According to the new measures, tourists can be offered special services during the busiest seasons. For example, Wuzhizhou Island in the South China Sea, which is famous among divers and administratively belongs to Sanya, will provide tourists with free hot and cold drinks, and children and the elderly will receive evening tourist rations. Professional training will be provided to staff at all levels to ensure that "attention to guests is evident in every detail". Special attention will be paid to the qualifications of the guides and interesting activities such as planting corals as souvenirs under the guidance of experienced instructors.
Industry associations are expected to join the efforts of the government and operating companies to ensure a "multilateral synergy" effect. The goal of the program is to help every tourist have an unforgettable experience when visiting Sanya.
Sanya is a leading Chinese resort city with a population of over 1 million. According to official estimates, its gross product exceeded 100 billion yuan (about $14 billion) in 2024, an increase of 5%. The average annual air temperature in this city reaches 25.4 degrees Celsius, and the coastline is about 260 km long. There are 19 bays and about 40 islands suitable for tourism in the adjacent waters, which allows the local government to successfully develop yachting, cruise tourism, beach and family recreation.