2010 Boao International Tourism Forum was held in Sanya from March 19 through 21. USCF President Larry Lee flew to Sanya in advance and was present throughout the Forum; former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke and other tens of VIP guests were invited to the Forum.
Governor of Hainan Province Luo Baoming delivered an opening speech at the grand welcoming reception held at Red Woods Holiday Hotel in Sanya, at 8 pm on 20 March. On behalf of Hainan Provincial CPC and Hainan Provincial Government and all people in Hainan Province , Governor Luo warmly welcomed all guests from home and abroad to the Forum. The audience greeted with cheering as Governor Luo said in his speech that world-famous film star, CA governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, especially sent a congratulation letter through USCF to the Forum. At the end of his speech, Governor Luo hoped that all guests could have more walk around the sunny beach and enjoy more sights and customs on Hainan Island. Then former US Secretary of State Rice gave a keynote speech on tourism and international cooperation, which received broad recognition and rapturous applause from audience.
The Forum was officially open on the morning of March 21. Liu Yunshan, Cai Wu, Shao Qiwei and other Chinese central government officials as well as celebrities worldwide separately gave their speeches at the Forum.
During the Forum, USCF President Larry Lee separately had pleasant talks with Wei Liucheng, Luo Baoming, Chen Ci(Secretary of Haikou CPC), Jiang Zelin(Secretary of Sanya CPC) and Hainan provincial government officials. In the afternoon, the group discussion of the Forum began, with minister and famous people in media taking part in the Forum on media and tourism; the Forum on culture, sport, and tourism; the Forum on information and tourism, etc. USCF President Larry Lee joined the two forums on media and cultural development. The Forum was a great success.
The Forum, at which nearly 2000 people attended, was the largest international forum in Hainan history. In March 2008, during the 20th anniversary of the establishing of Hainan Province, USCF initiated and made a scheme for ‘Hainan International Tourism Forum’, and submitted this scheme to Culture Department of Hainan Provincial Government (then Minister Zhou Wenzhang, and Travel Bureau of Hainan Provincial Government (then the head of this bureau Zhang Qi); President Larry Lee, and his PA Qi Ping and Liang Shuang flew to Hainan and opened USCF Hainan Branch Office for this forum. In April of that year, President Larry Lee flew to Sanya and examined the 5-star hotels like Tianyu, Sheraton, Hilton, Marriott, etc, and choosed Tianyu and Sheraton as venues for this forum. Vice Governor Chen Cheng who is in charge of travel, and other officials from Hainan Provincial Culture Department, Travel Bureau and officials from Sanya Municipal Government all gave their high praise and great support to the scheme of this forum.
Two years later, in 2010, the Forum was successfully held in Sanya, with Chinese central government’s strategy ‘Developing Hainan into an international travel destination’. The facts proves again, that USCF senior leadership had vision and intelligence on seizing major business opportunities and decision-making on major issues, with this strategic foresight years ago, USCF actively and punctually expended its business into Hainan.
USCF will play an active role as before in the process of making Hainan a real ‘An International Travel Destination’ by paying much attention to the development of Hainan, investing in Hainan, and establishting the most needed infrastructure for the development of culture and education in Hainan .
