Hainan to proceed with major upgrades to attract more international tourists
Hainan Province has embarked on an ambitious plan to attract more international tourists by upgrading the island''s entire transportation network.

Plans to modernize the transportation infrastructure were outlined Sunday by of-ficials attending the 2010 Bo''ao International Tourism Forum.

"It''s especially important to develop the airport and railway network, improve comprehensive management and set up public information service platforms," said Weng Mengyong, vice minister of transport.

He said that the volume of travelers to Hainan, including tourists and migrant workers, has strained the capacity of its transportation industry.

"The island will build a transportation network to meet the standards of an international tourism island," Wang said, adding that a new highway will connect the five main tourist attractions of the island along with other locations.

Weng said plans are under way to expand the airports in Haikou and Sanya, and con-struct a new airport in Bo''ao.

Gerald Lawless, executive director of the Jumeirah Group in Dubai, also stressed the importance of developing the island''s infrastructure.

"One important factor is the aviation industry and supporting airport facilities, without which we cannot attract more international tourists," Gerald said at an earlier forum.

Si Xianmin, general manger of China Southern Airlines, said Sunday that the company would replace all Boeing 737 aircraft at the Haikou airport with airbuses, and added 50 large jetliners to the fleet in five years.