Hainan is offering couples the chance to marry on board a luxury yacht as part of its plan to promote the tropical island as a yachting center.

As part of the Haikou Yacht Economy Forum 2010 which opens on March 19, a group of couples will be selected to take part in an ultra-fashionable wedding ceremony in a romantic setting with "mystery guests" in attendance. Couples throughout China can apply to take part by calling the telephone hotline 0898-66819999. Lines open on March 1 for 8 days.

The ceremony will be held at the Haikou Bay International Yacht Club on March 20. It will be hosted by the Haikou TV Broadcasting Station and the Haikou Film and TV Artists Association and is certain to be an unforgettable experience for the chosen couples.

Looking to the future, Hainan plans to promote the island as a wedding and honeymoon destination with similar ultra-romantic wedding ceremonies. The tourism authorities believe the option to get married in a tropical paradise will prove irresistible to Chinese couples and that within a few years yacht weddings will be big business on the island.