Profiting from the 'war on pollution'
Sanya's clean air is making it an increasingly popular destination for tourists, part-time residents and investors from across mainland China, as pollution becomes more of a concern.
Sanya's clean air is making it an increasingly popular destination for tourists, part-time residents and investors from across mainland China, as pollution becomes more of a concern.
"Sanya is really the one city that is consistently clean whenever I look at the air quality maps," says Steven McCord, from Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL).
"Therefore, refuge from pollution is a great additional selling point for Sanya [and] for people who want a vacation home."
According to the mainland's Ministry of Environmental Protection, just nine out of 161 monitored cities actually meet the country's new air quality standards, and Sanya is at the top of this list.
The horrendous air quality and toxic environments of many cities have created huge demand for places with clearer skies and a more pristine ecology. Cities that can boast these attributes are now at a big advantage.
"I think people move to Sanya and set up new businesses to benefit from the cleaner environment," says Caddie Lu, the owner of Sunny Sanya, a Sanya-based travel agency.
