HAIKOU, March 31. /TASS/. One of Sanya's fishing villages, thanks to its advantageous geographical position and effective local government policies, has in recent years turned from an unremarkable settlement into a major center for surfing, reported Xinhua. 

According to the news agency, the town of Houhaicun, located on a small peninsula, has been rapidly transforming since 2016, when surfing was included in the Tokyo Summer Olympics, which were originally scheduled for August 2020, but were postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Thanks to the growing popularity of this sport, there are already 45 clubs in the village that train those wishing to become surfers.

"I hope that as many locals as possible will show interest and we will receive the status of a cultural surfing village," said Yang Xingfu who owns one of the professional institutions for tourists to master this sport. According to him, following the dynamic development of this service sector, dozens of hotels for visitors who come to Sanya for surfing have appeared nearby.

As Yang Xingfu explained, skilful gliding on the water surface gives a person an unforgettable experience. Therefore, those who have mastered this art become regular guests of the surfing village. "Any movement turns the wave into your stage for an artistic performance," he noted.

According to statistics, there are about 3,000 residents in Houhaicun, a significant part of them are young people. Recently, more and more of the locals have quit fishing in order to retrain as trainers.

Sanya is considered one of the leading Chinese resorts and is renowned for its excellent climate. City beaches and numerous attractions all year round attract tourists both from other regions of China and worldwide. Tourism provides a significant part of the income of the local population, which in terms of wealth is the leader among all other administrative-territorial units of the southernmost province of China. According to official estimates, at least every fourth person on the streets of this city is a tourist.