Hainan Island hosted a successful first staging of the Sanya Boat Festival (April 15-18), which was also billed by organisers as the ‘China International Consumer Products Expo Sanya International Yacht Exhibition Area’.

The show presented a new component of the China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE), with the exhibition’s record-breaking fifth edition held in Hainan over six days from April 13-18.

Promoting the theme of ‘City of a Thousand Yachts, Setting Sail for the Future in China’, the four-day Sanya Boat Festival was primarily held at Sanya International Yacht Center, with Visun International Yacht Marina and Serenity Coast Marina hosting supporting events.

Designed to “present Sanya’s unique charm as an international yachting destination” and showcase Hainan’s hopes for the luxury yachting sector industry in the island’s new era as Free Trade Port (FTP), the boat show included yachts displayed in and out of the water, on-land exhibitions, regattas, forums and cultural experiences.

The variety of yachts, water toys, marine equipment and leisure lifestyle products in the water and on land represented 62 brands from over 20 countries and regions.

Highlights included a Sanlorenzo SX76 flybridge motoryacht from Italy, a Jeanneau Yachts 60 sailing yacht from France and a Sunseeker Predator 108 from the UK, while smaller motorboats included the Saxdor 320 GTO, Flipper 900 ST, Nautique GS22 and Centurion Ri230.

The exhibition included a Renowned Yachting area where brands such as Delphia, Eastar and JP presented signature models, showcasing China’s progress in small to mid-sized yachts as well as new-energy vessels.

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The show also included a strong line-up of speeches and presentations on the second day. The ‘Extraordinary Voyages of Ordinary People’ forum featured speakers from sailing, youth education and content creation sharing their personal journeys.

Clipper Race ambassador sailors Lin Wenwen and Luo Xiaoyu recounted their sailing experiences from a female perspective. Alan Huang, an RYA-certified sailing coach, told his story of leading Chinese secondary-school students across the English Channel, a tale that resonated deeply with the audience.

Student representative Ding Zhekai showcased how sailing can integrate environmental awareness with youth development.

Content creator Fan Wenshuo introduced his Sailing Around the Coast of China initiative, proposing that sailing can be a powerful medium for storytelling by connecting cities, people, tradition and modernity.

The second forum, ‘Blue Innovation: Water Toys and the Resort Economy’, focused on upgrading the structure of Hainan’s yacht charter market. Claus Gruner, Asia-Pacific Director of Cayago, Seabob’s parent company, shared global resort case studies and emphasised Hainan’s potential to become a benchmark market for water toys in Asia.

Li Siwei, founder of Moovi, demonstrated how to integrate water sports, real estate and festival IPs into a sustainable water-based lifestyle experience. Yachting media expert Samuel Xu underscored the importance of service design and cultural content in helping Hainan become a differentiated ‘marine lifestyle destination’.

The exhibition also featured interactive programs such as the ‘Hundred Yachts Stirring the Sea’ regatta, an OP dinghy youth experience race, and the ‘Sanya Yacht Night’ cultural gala themed around Li ethnic traditions.

The United Kingdom, the show’s Country of Honour, brought British maritime culture to life with themed experiences such as a London landmark photo zone, 007 yacht exhibits, and immersive areas for the Clipper and Volvo Ocean Races.

“The Sanya Boat Festival is not just an industry showcase – it is a deep dive into the narrative of yacht lifestyle,” the organisers stated.

“The event sends a clear message that under the supportive policies of the Hainan Free Trade Port, yacht consumption is evolving from a niche luxury into an accessible, shareable and monetisable lifestyle ecosystem. Sanya is leveraging yachting as a ‘lifestyle container’ to chart a new course for its ocean economy and cultural influence.”

hainanexpo.org.cn