SANYA, Hainan - China's tourism administration Tuesday launched the Year of Marine Tourism in Sanya, South China's Hainan province.

Zhu Shanzhong, deputy head of the the National Tourism Administration, said marine tourism has become a popular attraction for visitors and that the sector has huge potential.

The launch of the Year of Marine Tourism will help boost the development of marine tourism resources, as well as bring Chinese citizens closer to the ocean, said Zhu.

Marine products in Hainan were on display following an opening ceremony Tuesday.

China has five major coastal tourist resorts, namely one along the Bohai Bay, one in the Yangtze River Delta, one in the Pearl River Delta, the coast on the west side of the Taiwan Strait, and the Hainan Island, according to Zhu.

In the southeastern coastal city of Xiamen, the construction of a 100,000-ton luxury cruise liner has been ongoing since July, with 3.1 billion yuan of investment.