DUBAI, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Atlantis Resorts & Residences said Monday that Atlantis Sanya, its "flagship resort" in China's Hainan province, opened during the Chinese New Year, in a bid to tap into China's booming tourism market.

The resort, with an investment of 1.6 billion U.S. dollars, opened in time for the Spring Festival, lasting from Feb. 16-21, to welcome its first guests.

The opening of China's first integrated entertainment resort will enhance Hainan's incredible tourism proposition, Atlantis said in a statement.

Located on the Haitang Bay National Coast, Atlantis Sanya encompasses 540,000 square meters of "unparalleled excitement and larger than life experiences," the statement added.

Built around the myth of the Lost City of Atlantis, the resort offers exhilarating water play on Aquaventure Waterpark's twisting waterslides, exploration of the ancient Atlantis civilization at the Lost Chambers Aquarium, which spans two floors.

Moreover, visitors will experience exotic marine creatures that reside there, and have a look into the largest open-air aquarium in the world, the Ambassador Lagoon, through a viewing platform.

Hainan has been one of the most favorite winter resorts for Chinese holidaymakers. About 90,000 vehicles with over 400,000 tourists visited Hainan during this year's Spring Festival holiday.

Hainan also intends to become a world-class tourist destination, aiming to attract more than 1.3 million foreign tourists in 2020.