Hainan Island, known as the “Hawaii of the East”, makes for a perfect high-end tourism destination for domestic and international holidaymakers. It’s also set to become a golfing paradise, with Mission Hills Group having invested a total of 7 billion yuan (HK$8.6 billion) in developing its golfing resort on the island over the past three years.
Mission Hills Haikou features 10 18-hole championship golf courses along with supporting facilities such as retail, fine dining, and entertainment venues.
Hainan Island’s golf and tourism boom provides ample job opportunities for people, ranging from engineers, architects and designers to operational and customer servicing staff.
“A club of this magnitude is a continuous development, so we are constantly on the lookout for talent from all over the world especially from Hong Kong where the majority of candidates are multilingual. We have domestic and international guests so language skills are a prerequisite. On top of that, when it comes to service quality, Hong Kong offers a huge pool of talent with its mature hospitality sector,” says Dr Ken Chu, chairman and CEO of Mission Hills Group.
Mission Hills Haikou, opened in March 2010, cements the brand’s unique place among the world’s leading resorts, and is central to a government-led initiative to make tropical Hainan the sports and leisure capital of Asia. The Haikou golfing resort now employs 2,000 staff and the number is expected to go up to 10,000 by 2013.
When it comes to career prospects, potential candidates should expect a higher salary and international exposure as well as the much-coveted “China experience”.
Mission Hills Group is a pioneer in China’s hospitality, sports and leisure industry, and has expanded its business across the cities of Shenzhen, Dongguan and now Haikou, offering world-class hotels and resorts, golf and country clubs, international residential communities, award-winning spas, sports academies and pro-shops to create a comprehensive set of unparalleled luxury lifestyle experiences.
The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) is partnering with Hainan, among other mainland provinces, to promote multidestination itineraries featuring the city. One example involves combining the sun and beaches of Hainan, with the cosmopolitan lifestyle of Hong Kong.
The HKTB has also built strategic partnerships with Hainan and other mainland coastal provinces to facilitate the development of multi-destination cruise itineraries along the South China coast.
