The Atlantis resort planned for China will open up an area little known to the European market and pave the way for further resorts in the future.
The Atlantis Sanya, to open in 2016, will be located on the Chinese island of Hainan, popular with the holidaying Chinese. It will be the third Atlantis resort.
Brett Armitage, senior vice president of global sales of hotel operator Kerner International, which operates Atlantis resorts in the Bahamas and Dubai, said the resort would aim to attract a large number of Chinese holidaymakers but was also likely to be included as part of itineraries to China and Hong Kong catering for the European holiday market.
“The anticipation is that there will be a strong bias towards Chinese tourists but it’s an opportunity [for tour operators] to include as part of programmes for European travellers going to Asia to experience Atlantis,” he said.
The resort had “always been on the cards”, he added, and said further Atlantis resorts were planned in future.
“We will expand further. There will be further developments of Atlantis resorts,” he said.
Kerzner International announced last month it had struck a deal with Chinese conglomerate Fosun International to develop the vast $1.5 billion holiday complex.
The 153-acre property in the city of Sanya will include 1,300 hotel rooms, 18 bars and restaurants, a water park, dolphin shows and other marine life. Work is to start this year.