In 2006, Sanya Phoenix Island, a 100,000-ton international passenger line port was completed; it is the largest port in China for passenger lines. Phoenix Island will build a 60,000-ton and 250,000 ton port by 2014 according to the construction plan of Sanya's "International Tourism Free Port". By then Sanya Phoenix Island International Port for Passengers' Liners will be among the top ten ports in the world.

Hainan has rich tropical tourism resources therefore it has the capability to develop high-end holiday products. The liner voyage, a form of luxury tourism, has become a fashion in Hainan.

Sanya is now a transportation hub for international liners, the goal is to build Sanya into a home port for international liners, according to Luo Baoming, governor of Hainan Province.

Hainan is located between two important international home ports --- Hong Kong and Singapore. The 1500 km coast has more than 50 bays and it has the same latitude as Florida in the U.S., home to the most advanced liner industry in the world. Since the liner industry is heading into the Asian emerging markets in recent years, Hainan is expecting to co-operate with world liner corporations to build itself into a home port.

Hainan has jointly developed many liner tourism products with Hong Kong. It has opened "Hong Kong - Sanya -Hong Kong" and "Hong Kong -Sanya -Vietnam -Hong Kong" sea travelling routes.