Zhanjiang receives 26.33 million tourists in the first half of this year, a year-on-year increase of 23.3 percent. [Photo/gdzjdaily.com.cn]

Zhanjiang received 26.33 million tourists in the first half of this year, up 23.3 percent year-on-year, according to the latest statistics from the city's Tourism Bureau.

The travel boom can be largely attributed to intense industrial investment and construction, which have created an influx of travel agencies, chain hotels, and bed-and-breakfasts in the city.

By the end of 2017, there were more than 228 travel agencies in Zhanjiang, representing a whopping 51 percent increase over 2016. 

Tujia, one of the three largest bed-and-breakfast platforms in the country, also entered the city last year.

Currently, Zhanjiang is home to two international chain hotels, three five-star hotels, eight four-star hotels, and 20 three-star hotels, which provide 45,963 guest rooms and 71,648 beds for tourists.

In addition to improved facilities, Zhanjiang also promoted its natural environment, culture, and urban development in Charming China, a TV program broadcast by CCTV in 2017, which pits cities against each other in a competition.

The local tourism sector is expected to maintain strong momentum in the second half of 2018 due to the newly launched Shenzhen-Zhanjiang high-speed railway. [Photo/gdzjdaily.com.cn]

The local tourism sector is expected to maintain strong momentum in the second half of 2018 due to the newly launched Shenzhen-Zhanjiang high-speed railway (HSR).

The city already signed cooperation agreements with Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Foshan, Jiangmen, Yangjiang, Maoming, and other cities along the route to tap into the HSR’s tourism potential through promotional conferences and activities.

Meanwhile, Zhanjiang has allied with China Merchants Group to build an international yacht harbor complex, which will allow passengers to access Shekou and islands in the South China Sea by yacht.

The Zhanjiang section of the Guangdong Coastal Highway is also highly anticipated, as it will connect local scenic spots and merge them with the enchanting coastal scenery. OCT Group is building the highway.