Zhanjiang is welcoming investment from Hong Kong into its promising tourism industry, which is expected to boom around 2016 after the city's transport facilities have improved, a top city official said.

"The seaport in the west of Guangdong province is bestowed with rich marine, ecological, historical and cultural, climate and labor resources," said Zhuang Xiaodong, deputy mayor, summing up Zhanjiang's advantages in developing tourism.

The city's coastline extends 2,023.6 kilometers, and it is home to 122 uninhabited islands, providing tourists with extensive, tranquil sea views.