With a theme of “Enjoying the fashionable Sanya”, the STPB aims to diversify tourism and add some touches of fashion.
SANYA, CHINA – The Sanya Tourism Promotion Board (STPB) has partnered with esee Model Management to jointly organize the “GenZ Top Model Contest 2022“, which officially kicked off its grand final on Dec. 19 in Sanya, the most popular tourist destination on China’s Hainan Island.
With a theme of “Enjoying the fashionable Sanya”, the STPB aims to diversify tourism and add some touches of fashion that are particularly popular among young tourists through the top model contest. The contest is deliberately designed to cater to Generation Z (“GenZ”) — those who were born between 1990 and 2010. As part of the efforts to lure young tourists and boost tourism development, only GenZ talents are eligible to participate in the top model contest.
“Sanya is widely recognized as an international tourist attraction and a hub for global fashion trends, which has made it an ideal venue for hosting this supermodel contest,” said Zheng Yi, president of esee Model Management, one of the largest modeling agencies in China.
The contest organizers perfectly combined Sanya’s unique natural landscape with the fashion industry, choosing an area near the Sanya landmark attraction Tianya Haijiao (literally “edge of the sky, rim of the sea”) as the venue for its grand finale. Other well-known attractions in Sanya, such as Luhuitou and West Island Village, also served as the background for contestants’ inspiring performances in the city-themed photography.
“The young tourist base has become a main driving force in tourism consumption,” said Wu Xiaolin, Secretary of the Party Committee of STPB. “That has laid a perfect foundation for the ‘GenZ Top Model Contest 2022’ given Sanya’s international, young and dynamic image. Through events like the top model competition, Sanya hopes to bring in more well-known brands to the city.”
For many years, Sanya has been known for its tropical landscape and scenic resorts. Now through the establishment and development of Hainan Free Trade Port, the STPB are working to extend more possibilities to Sanya and form a dynamic tourism industry that offers personalized tourism products.
The tropical island escape, for example, prides itself on its golf tourism, as it has made itself a popular golf destination with professional golf courses and clubs.
Earlier this year, Sanya hosted the Sanya Day event at the second China International Consumer Products Expo, which welcomed 2,800 boutique brands from 61 countries and regions. The event was especially popular among GenZ tourists, who were lured by the fashion shows organized by designer brands.
Many young tourists are also enticed by Sanya’s wide range of offerings when it comes to water sports. With more than 20 wake-surfing clubs in Sanya, those that love surfing can enjoy a more exciting and smoother experience gliding on water. For those who prefer their watersports at a more leisurely pace, sailing is another perfect option.
“We want to make sure that our tourism industry is diverse enough to accommodate all the traveling needs for all kinds of tourists worldwide and attracts more types of businesses to make debuts or expand their presence in Sanya,” Wu said.
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